The Furfur and the Marchosias
by Fairyfoxtale
Summary: After witnessing Leon lose, Joshua decides to get his revenge on the winner of the battle. Going on a journey to obtain strong Pokemon to counter the new Champion's team, he meets some new friends. But, as he continues on, he finds his future is being torn in three ways, and Joshua has to decide what is more important. His humanity, his friends, or the world's order? [SYOC]
1. Prologue: The Underbelly of Legends

_"When the universe was created, its shards became this Plate."_

_"The power of defeated giants infuses this Plate."_

_"Two beings of time and space set free from the Original One."_

_"Three beings were born to bind time and space."_

_"Two make matter and three make spirit, shaping the world."_

_"The Original One breathed alone before the universe came."_

_"The powers of Plates are shared among Pokémon."_

_"The rightful bearer of a Plate draws from the Plate it holds."_

\- Inscriptions on the plates from Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum

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**A/N: This fanfiction takes place after the events of the SwSh games, and since I separated the Minor and Major League into separate seasons, there's a whole new cast of Gym Leaders. As for Gordie and Bea, they aren't going to be in the Minor Leagues. They're going to be taking over from their Sword counterparts.**

**At the end of each chapter, there will usually be an additional tidbit. These are things that sort of explain weird things that would make no sense to explain in universe [like why the Star Festival is more widespread in this verse] or as a way to elude to something that will happen later on in the story.**

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Prologue: The Underbelly of Legends

A full silver moon glowed above a high-class mansion, illuminating the dirt path that wound through a forest that surrounded it. Even though the house was in perfect shape, it gave off an eerie vibe as the trees around it swayed. It looked like something out of a rich person's magazine, but since it was far away from the nearest town, it also seemed to be a bit haunted. The white walls contrasted against the bright greenery that surrounded it, and the fences gave an imposing feeling to all humans who walked past them. On the other hand, as a family of wild Furret and Sentret demonstrated as they traveled across the dirt road, the Pokémon would occasionally stare at it with awe and mystique.

A single window was lit up in the three-story house, almost as if it was a beacon to let someone know that people actually lived there. The Furret inched a little closer as its children stayed behind. The little critter crawled up to the fence as it stared through the bars, trying to get a closer look inside.

"Do you perhaps know who lives here?" a feminine voice asked, spooking the Furret. Scrambling to turn around, the Furret came face-to-face with two Pokémon that it had never seen before.

One was a blue wolf that had fur that draped over its creamy underside. The Pokémon had sharp amber eyes and a pink, fluffy tail, along with two pink flowing braids that extended to its hindquarters. There were pink tufts of fur on its shoulder and it had a massive set of claws on its paws that came to a sharp point. It had pink wing shaped markings near its eyes and a pink marking on its head that was sliced by a wound. Speaking of wounds, there were healed wounds all over them, almost as if they had been in a fight that Furret had only heard horror stories of.

The other wolf was red, but it had shorter fur than the blue one. The creature's underbelly was white. It had a similar dark blue tail to the other wolf, and a dark blue tuft of hair that resembled a plume on a medieval helmet. It had two dark blue lines that rose from its paws to right underneath its shoulders, and two dark tufts of fur covered its fronts paws. Two black spurs protruded from its hindlegs. The face on its fur resembled that of a heater shield, with the bottom part being a dark blue. Its face also had a similar dark blue marking to the other wolf, which was also sliced by a wound.

"Ahh… not really. I've never seen the residents clearly," the Furret said before perking its ears up. "Oh, but I do remember that a girl recently came to live here! Before that, all the residents were boys of varying ages." she said, before narrowing her eyes. "By the way, who are you? I've never seen anything quite like the two of you."

"I'm Zacian, and this is my little brother, Zamazenta. We're from the Galar region, so it's no surprise that we're strange looking to you," the blue wolf cooed.

"Oh no, not strange looking! You look a little like Suicune, and he looks like an Entei. A little bit. You do know of those two, right?" Furret asked.

Zacian tilted her head in confusion.

"Should I? Is Suicune an important Pokémon?" she asked.

"Of course! She is a Legendary Pokémon! She will often come into the forest to purify the lake and protect us if some big baddy shows up! She's more powerful than most Pokémon! Even the ruler of this forest can't defeat her!" Furret exclaimed.

"Legendary Pokémon, huh? I guess there are more than the ones I grew up knowing. Anyways, who is this ruler of the forest?" Zacian asked.

"Oh, well he's a mysterious Pokémon. Some say he's apart of the mist, while others say he's an illusion conjured up by Unown. I've heard rumors that he is a giant Noivern that appears and defends anyone in this forest from harm. On the bad guys, he exacts a toll. They are taken away; never to be seen or heard from again."

"Hmmm, I'll keep that in mind. Well, we should probably get going now. We have someone to meet, so its best not to keep them waiting."

"Okay. Well, I have to make sure my children get to the den safely. It was nice meeting you Zacian and Zamazenta! May your path be sheltered from the poor weather!"

With that, the Furret waved her tail to call her children's attention, and they disappeared into the nearby brush. Zacian gave a little chuckle as she walked up the dirt path with her brother.

"You were so silent, brother. Is something wrong?" Zacian inquired.

"No, I was just thinking. Tomorrow we have to announce the first members of our House in front of all the other Legendary Pokémon. I was wondering if my choice was going to be the correct one. I mean, we've only been awake for a few days and I haven't really gotten the time to know too many people." Zamazenta said.

"Oh, please. This process doesn't deserve so much respect. When we go to the Floor of the Houses tomorrow, we'll just pick whatever people come to our mind. I'm not going to give this committee anymore brain power than it deserves. After all, they're the one who took our children away from us." Zacian said as she nudged the gate open. Her brother and her padded pass the topiary that were cut into the shape of various Pokémon such as a Grandbull and Primarina.

Soon, the pair came to the door of the manor. In front of them were two sturdy, oak doors with a golden Dragonite knocker. Giving his sister a glance, Zamazenta scratched at the door to let the owner of the house know they were here. A few heartbeats later, the pair could hear rustling at the front door. A rather young voice greeted them as they heard the jingling of a lock being opened.

"Hey, Zai and Zaza! Lugia and Latios have already arrived, and everyone else from my House went out," the voice said as the door swung open. A young teenager, about fourteen or fifteen, opened the door. He had dirty blond hair and bright, clear blue eyes. But, instead of wearing a normal outfit, he was wearing his pajamas. A Lugia onesie with a tail that dragged across the floor, and a hood that resembled Lugia's head.

"Young prince, you seem to have been swallowed by a Lugia pup. A very small one at that," Zamazenta said, tilting his head. "Did you perhaps slay Lugia's little one? From what I know about humans, it's not uncommon for humans to wear-"

"No! I did not slay anyone, Zaza! And no one even does that anymore! Besides, Legendary Pokémon aren't allowed to have children," the boy exclaimed.

"Not allowed? What draconian thing is this?! Young prince, was this one of the Houses' decisions?" Zacian asked.

"Yeah, it was premise that the council was founded on. Unless a vote is held to approve it, such as the case with Suicune from Zetsuboji, a Legendary Pokemon cannot have offspring. So, it isn't just your unique case that isn't allowed."

"How unfortunate. I thought that was a line they would be unwilling to cross, but I guess I was wrong," Zacian sighed and shook her head. "Young prince, I cannot thank you enough for shielding our pups from their full wrath during the incident."

"Of course. I'll always keep the vow I made to you," he gave a smile before turning away to lead the two inside. "Let's go to the backyard. Lugia and Latios are waiting for us."

With that, he swiftly began to walk down the corridor to the backyard. Following after the teenager, Zacian and Zamazenta entered the house. The interior was bathed in a golden, amber color, with pale yellow, close to white walls. There was a second and third floor above the two Pokémon, and a twin spiral staircase that led upstairs, flanked the backyard door. A massive crystal chandelier hung above them, illumining the corridor. On either side of the Pokémon were giant columns that allowed for a full view of the surroundings. The living room and dining area could easily be seen from where Zacian walked.

In the living room, a Dragonite was playing cards with a Gumshoos. In the dining room, a Grandbull was helping to clean the table with a Typhlosion.

As she neared the backdoor, Zacian paused as a faint jingle rang through the air. To Zacian's ear, the jingle sounded like the distinct sound of a Pokemon that she had heard a long time ago. _Kommo-o._ Zacian thought as she tilted her head towards the second floor. But, to her displeasure, the floor was empty, and the lights were off. The soft clanging of scales drifted through her head as she hoped that the impossible had happened.

_Could it be…? _Zacian shook her head before she could finish the thought. _No, nonsense. He's dead. It was probably just my imagination. Unlike the young prince, they wouldn't keep him alive._

"Is something wrong?" Zamazenta snapped her out of her daze. He had paused a few steps ahead of her and was gazing at her with worry.

"Yeah, I just thought I heard something. Don't worry, it was nothing." Zacian stated as she caught up with him and walked under the stairs. Her fur slightly shivered as she fought back the instinct to run upstairs like an excited puppy. If it was the same Kommo-o from 3,000 years ago, she would have happily drop everything just to see _him_. As she noticed her tail wagging and her tongue begin to loll, she shook herself to bring her back to her senses.

_Stop it. He's probably dead. He has to be. _Zacian scolded herself as she walked up to the door leading to the backyard.

The door was a Ponyta-shoe shaped door with star carvings on it. Zacian could recognize some of the patterns. The Gemini constellation that was usually represented with two Pikachu, both Ursa Minor and Major were represented by Tediursa and Ursaring respectively, Lyra, which was always represented by Jirachi due to Vega, Cygnus which was represented by Kyoger, and finally, Aqulia, which was represented by Braviery and housed the star Altair were all on the door. On the doors' outer edges, there were vine carvings that wrapped around the frame.

The "young prince" opened up the doors and the dull moonlight and glistening twinkle of the starlight illuminated the backyard. Stepping into the neatly trimmed grass filled haven, fire glowed on both sides of Zacian. From the corner of her eyes, she could see rustic lanterns that held the flame.

Her friend, Lugia, was sitting a few feet away from the doorway. His size was just as imposing as it always had been, and even though he was lying down, he took up half the yard. Beside him was a smaller Legendary Pokémon, Latios. She had met a Latios once when she had visited a region far off to the west, where her mate and the "young prince" were living at the time. Next to Latios was another boy, who kept his gaze trained on Zacian. Zacian return the stare, trying to figure him out.

He seemed to be the same age as the "young prince", if only a little bit taller. He had black hair and bright green eyes. He was wearing a simple black shirt with navy blue jeans and red and white sneakers. Nothing about his appearance really stood out, but something stood out about his aura. While Zacian could never see aura, she was naturally inclined to sense if it felt "off." It felt as if there was a slight pull towards him, but not one that affected her.

_Come to think of it. His aura feels similar to how I first felt with the young prince, except I did feel drawn to him. I wonder what that is all about. _Zacian thought as she flicked her tail about.

"Gavin, you took way too long. I really just want to do my job as a witness and get out of here," the boy grumbled as he shifted his focus towards the boy in the Lugia onesie.

"Come on Lior, I know you don't want your sister to see you being helpful, but you can't really be that impatient. I only took a few minutes," Gavin chimed as he gave a wry smile.

"Oh, please! Like I care what she thinks! As the Head of the House of Latios, I have important things to do before tomorrow's meeting at the House Floor. The Speaker of the Houses wants all the Heads to come over tonight to discuss the plans for the prophecy," Lior said.

"What prophecy?" Zamazenta asked.

Both boys gave a sideways glance away from Zamazenta, almost as if he had asked a question that was sore to both of them. So, instead, Lugia decided to answer his question.

"The Giants of Old are going to return soon and destroy the world. Eternatus's awakening was just the beginning. The other sixteen will be awakened soon and they will wreak havoc on the universe until there's nothing left. According to Xatu, Gothitelle, and Celebi, they will probably rouse in about twenty to thirty years." Lugia answered.

"The Giants of Old?! I thought those things were tightly sealed by the plates. Then again, Eternatus did awaken… twice. And we had trouble taking it down, so taking down sixteen at the same time is going to be an impossible task for us…." Zacian sighed.

"That is true. Xatu did say all roads end in failure, except one. And according to Celebi, who you choose is supposed to contribute to getting on the path," Lugia said wistfully. "Well, that's how she interpreted it at least. So, I'm curious now. Who could possibly set this two-generation spanning journey into motion?"

"Yeah, I want to know that too. Especially since I was trying to prevent this path, but you know, _other_ people think they know what's best for the world," Latios said as he shot a harsh glare at Gavin. Gavin gave a rather sheepish smile before hiding behind one of Lugia's massive feet.

"Oh please, the future we were working to achieve would have been a wasteland. There's a reason a baby Lugia and Celebi came to stop it," Lior grumbled.

"It would have been much better than letting the world be destroyed! In fact-" Latios was interrupted by Lugia sighing.

"Hey, remember, we were supposed to do this quickly? The more you argue about this, the slower the process will actually go, Latios." Lugia reminded, sending both Lior and Latios a harsh glare.

Folding his arms indigently, Latios floated to the ground to sit down and listen, while Lior also sat down.

"Right, so who are you picking? Zamazenta, you can go first." Lior said, casually gesturing towards Zamazenta.

"Right. Well, I will choose Affray Audley." Zamazenta answered.

Lugia tilted his head and looked at Gavin, who was peeking out from behind his leg. "Hey, Gavin, who's that? You went to Galar, so you should know if he's important."

Gavin put his hand under his chin to recall if he knew the name. His eyes widen as he seemingly landed on an answer. "Oh, yeah, he's that kid genius. He was the valedictorian for his elementary school, he took a test that allowed him to skip all the way to high school, _and_ he's going to participate in the Minor League of Galar this summer since it doesn't require a letter of recommendation. Of course, Hop is going to give him one anyways. Although, the magazine I also read also mentioned that he was doing all of this to search for a cure for his ill brother."

"Hmm, should we really take a kid like that away from his family? Honestly, this isn't a glamorous life, even if you do live forever. Of course, that's only if you don't die from serious injuries," Lior remarked.

"I think he'll do just fine. He's ten years old, so he'll be rather easy to mold into an ideal candidate." Zamazenta responded.

"Ah, I see," Lior said, giving a knowing, yet bitter, smile, "you're picking up a ten-year-old to shape him into the perfect representative. It's rather devious. Anyways, who's your pick, Zacian?"

"My choice will be Joshua Cornwall," Zacian announced. There was a clear silence as Gavin gave her an unsure look.

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**Additional tidbit: The Sinnoh folk stories are all based on somewhat true events. As a reminder, the first story was about eating a Pokémon found in the stream and returning it to the stream so it can be reborn. The second story was about a Pokémon who slept as a human but roamed the village as a Pokémon. The third story was about Pokémon and humans intermarrying/ or "eating at the same table" in the English translation. In chronological order, the stories were written: Sinnoh folk story 3, Sinnoh folk story 2, and then Sinnoh folk story 1.**

**You can submit your own characters, which will fill out the Gym Challenger roster. **

**Rules:**

**All Legendary Pokémon are transient parts of a person's team, and a Pokémon form does not need to be filled out for them. Only people raised in Zetsuboji, a region under Unova, can have a pact with Legendary Pokémon, unless there's a good reason for them to partner up with a human outside of that region.**

**Shiny Pokémon are allowed, but within reason. On another note, black coloration [melanistic] and white coloration [albinism] are allowed. I'll take other coloration on a case by case basis, just to make sure that the ratio is balanced. Neutral colors such as brown and gray will probably help a Pokémon survive more, while vivid colors such as pink and purple can show strength, health, good genes, and help attract mates. For the most part though, Pokémon should be the same color as their counterparts in the game. The reason this rule is here is because if Pokémon only had to focus on one Pokémon instead of the over eight hundred, they would add more patterns. We see this in Magikarp Jump, where there's 33 unique patterns; sort of like Alcreamie's 63 [9 base patterns, 7 candies, so 9×7 = 63].**

**Only Pokémon from the Galar region will appear. So, unless there's a trip outside the Galar region, the Pokémon outside of the Pokedex won't appear in the story. The only exceptions to this rule are Legendary Pokémon.**

**Be creative. It's not going to be a normal traveling story all throughout, so you can go all in with it. If something is impossible in the story, I will tell you and help edit the idea into something that can work into the confines of the story.**

**There are a few things that are not allowed, due to being plot points later on or in later stories: Unova Elite Four, not the Unova Champion though, cannot have children, House of Jirachi cannot accept any members, and Colress, Ein, Ardos, Eldes, and Lovrina cannot have children.**

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Human Sign-Up sheet

**Name:**

**Age: **_10 or above_

**Gender:**

**Home Region:**

**Appearance:**

**Role: **_Are they a Gym Challenger, Ranger, normal Trainer, Gym Trainer, Council Member for a Legendary Pokémon {Specify which one}, Contest Star, ect.?_

**Challenger Number: **_If they are a Gym Challenger?_

**Goals: **_What do they want to accomplish in life? _

**Personality:**

**Familial Relationships: **_This takes place a year after Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. Bulbepedia have a helpful timeline that I'm following. So, __**technically**__ no one can be the children of the heroes of other games because they're not old enough to have ten-year-old children. The only way around it would be being displaced by either Celebi or Dialga, mainly Celebi. So, besides that, just put who the character's blood relationship._

**Other Relationships: **_Like friendships and romantic relationships._

**Starter Pokémon: **_This can be any Pokémon, except a Legendary Pokémon. I'm not too picky. For the purposes of this story Ultra Beasts are not Legendary Pokémon (yet), but they're not allowed to be starters. If they are a part of the Gym Challenge, or a trainer, the starter cannot be fully evolved, but I will accept second stages; as long as they evolve under level 20. Also, I'll consider when the OC will appear and power up the Pokémon based on that._

**Background: **_Where did they grow up? What was their life like? Why are they traveling? _

**Other interesting details?: **_Do they have any hobbies? Specific quirk?_

**Request?:**_ Any request you might have for me._

**What fear rules them: **_From this list, what's the closest thing that's a deep-seeded fear for them – Being a bad person/ compromising their integrity, being unloved, being worthless, having no significance, being helpless or incompetent, having no support or guidance, being unfulfilled/ wallowing in sadness, being controlled/ harmed by others, or undergoing separation and loss. _

**Spirit Pokémon?: **_What kind of Pokémon would represent them? For example, Gavin's spirit Pokémon would be a Cutiefly. It doesn't have to be in the Galar region, and it can be a Legendary Pokémon. Technically, spirit Pokémon is called a fylgja [fil-ja] in this fanfic._

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Pokémon Sign-Up sheet [Additional Note: Only fill this out for important Pokémon. An OC can have as many Pokémon as they want. A Pokemon learns moves as they level up, but they can only use four moves in most battles. The first four moves used in a battle are set. So, a Pikachu can use Body Slam, Thunderbolt, Brick Break, and Charm against one trainer's team, and Thunderbolt, Feint, Grass Knot, and Charm against another trainer. But, the more times a Pokemon uses a specific move, the better it gets at using it. So while the Pikachu might know Feint, it might use Thunderbolt more, and as such, know how to use the attack in more creative, stronger ways. Preferred moves are the moves that a Pokemon is most proficient in.]

**Species:**

**Nickname:**

**Gender:**

**Ability: **_Can be a Hidden Ability. But, the HA has to be available in the region the Pokémon was caught or obtained in. For example, Minccino in any region, except Alola, can have their HA._

**Preferred moves: **_This is for the moves the Pokémon uses most often, and as such, is exceptionally skilled at them._

**Unique moves: **_This is for egg moves and TM moves._

**Description:** _What does the Pokemon look like? Like the average member of its species or does it have a unique feature? Does it have some accessories?_

**Personality:**

**Background:**

**Battle Tactics/ Style: **_How do they like to battle? Hit-and-run? Rapid flurry of attacks? Wait-and-see? Does it mesh with their trainer's training style?_

**How was it caught/ obtained? Also, where?:**


	2. Chapter 1: The Loss of the Century

**A/N: Well, this is the first chapter, and we're finally introduced to our protagonist… who is a rather normal kid. The start this fanfiction is a little slow, but hopefully it'll speed up soon when Joshua meets his rival/ friend, the kid genius, Affray. **

**I wonder if anyone can guess who Joshua's and Affray's starters will be. As a hint, it won't be the three regional starters, and instead, a different "element circle" trio. So instead of fire, grass, and water, it might be electric, water, and ground [Ex. Yamper, Silicobra, and Drednaw].**

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Chapter 1: The Loss of the Century

"Char!" a young boy cried as he pinned his younger sister down. The little girl giggled as she attempted to squirm away, but her brother had a tight grip on her. In an attempt to get him off her, she headbutted him in the chest.

"Greedent!" she called as the boy recoiled in slight pain, letting her wiggle from under him and faced him on all fours. "Gree! Dent! Greedent!"

Giving a mock growl, he flexed his hands as if they were claws and fell on all fours to give a joyous roar. A Dreepy watched with half-open eyes from a bed with sheets covered in images of a Gigamaxed Charizard in various poses. At the edge of each different pose was the signature of Leon. The Dreepy yawned before floating off the bed as the young boy pulled the sheets off.. "Get ready for my Fire Blast attack, you Greedent! No one can survive this!" the young boy yelled as he pulled the blankets off.

"Oh, we can talk now, dent?~ Well, no matter, I've stood up to much worse, dent! I even survived a Gmax move from Centiscorch with ease, gree!" the little girl mocked as she stuck her tongue out and arched her back. With a roar, the boy threw the cover and the girl jumped out the way, only to get tripped up by the sheet catching her leg. She hit the wooden floor and fell flat onto her stomach. "Ow..."

"Ah, Lilac, are you okay?! I didn't mean for that to happen!" the boy asked as he rushed over to see his sister roll herself over to untangle the cover from her foot. She had slight tears in her eyes, but she wasn't sniffling or anything.

"I'm fine. I just hit my face is all, Joshua." she said as she finished undoing the comforter from her foot. Joshua rubbed his sister's head in an apology as she wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled.

"See, all better! Now, let's continue playing to see who'll win the battle!" Lilac said as she stood up. Her bright white hair wrapped around her shoulders, contrasting against her light brown skin color, as she looked at her brother expectantly with bright blue eyes. Like his sister, Joshua had white hair, but instead of bright blue eyes, his were poppy red.

Joshua shook his head at her suggestion, since he didn't want to hurt Lilac again, even by accident.

"Naw, let's go see how well Leon is doing against Eugene. Raihan said it was supposed to be an interesting match, but he says that almost every year. Leon has been winning since he was ten, so there's no way he would lose now!" Joshua said as Dreepy flew next him. "Hey, how's your tail feeling? Better?"

"Dree! Reep, reep, epy!" Dreepy said as he showed Joshua his tail. There was a bandage on it, but other than that, it looked perfectly fine.

"That's good, Dreepy!" Joshua said as he headed out the bedroom, and into the carpeted hallway. Lilac followed after him, as well as Dreepy. He made his way to the living room, where the TV sat adjacent to the couch. The rug had the Dragon Badge marking on it, proudly showing off that this was Raihan's house.

"Hey, Josh and Lilac, are you two down here to watch the battle?" a male voice called from the kitchen. Dreepy gave a slight purr as it moved back and forth in a dance like motion. The scent of freshly baked cookies and sweet Pokéfood wharf through the air. The warm, comforting scent began to make Joshua's mouth water at the prospect of cookies.

"Yeah, we are Sebastian!" Joshua called to his babysitter as he sat in front of the TV. Lilac settled down on the couch, with Dreepy nestling in her lap and beginning to doze off. Joshua turned on the TV, and the first thing to pop up was the Yamper Cup. The Yamper Cup was something that always showed at the same time as the Champion's Cup. Since some people got bored of watching Leon win all the time, or they just didn't care in general, they had the Yamper Cup specifically for them. Newly hatched Yamper would scuttle in a small stadium as they played with a ball. It was just cute fluffiness because the Yamper couldn't learn any rules yet. They were just cute, baby Yamper who wanted to play. Normally, Joshua would watch it because he knew Leon would win, but he decided to watch the match against Eugene.

Turning the channel, Joshua finally came upon the match, and his jaw dropped open. Leon was actually losing! Eugene was up one Pokémon from him, and it seemed as if Leon had been backed into a corner! Eugene had three Pokémon left, while Leon only had two! The challenger had a weird Pokémon that Joshua had never seen before. It had a weird shield-like head that was attached to the tip of a long body that resembled a tail. The body had red flat, fleshy spikes that didn't seem like they would help with defense or offense. And the body was a weird green mixed with red that just looked unnerving. Its head also had some tiny fins, so it couldn't even grab anything if it wanted to. However, despite how eldritch it looked, it was smiling and flapping its little fins around.

Eugene wore a short, blue haircut with a Dark Type sport cap. He had on a black motorcycle jacket and leather trousers, along with some black high socks. Underneath his jacket was a tee shirt was a beautifully painted Arcanine. On his right hand, he wore a single black palm glove and his choice of shoe wear was a pair of white creepers.

Leon's Dragapult was staring down the weird creature with a refine smile as it licked the side of its face with its long tongue. It was hard to see, but the third eyelid that Dragapult shared with Inteleon flicked over its eyes, causing it to reach its long tongue to its eye to lick it clean. The movement always sent a shiver down Joshua's spine when Dragapult did that. The Dreepy they took in after they found it injured in the Wild Area also did that, but Joshua found it a little cuter.

"It looks like Eugene's… ummm… Dracovish will be going toe-to-toe with Dragapult! This is no joke! Dragapult have taken whole teams down without breaking a sweat! But, Dracovish has also taken down some pretty powerful foes as well!" the commentator said as Eugene threw his arm out in a dramatic fashion.

"Dragon Pulse!" he ordered, and his Dracovish threw its head back before wrenching it forward and letting out a purple stream of energy. In a blink of an eye, Dragapult flew below the stream, and shot itself forward. With a cry of surprise, Dracovish tried to re-aim the beam towards Dragapult. The lizard rolled out the way and zipped behind the ancient Pokémon.

"Dragon Breath!" Leon ordered, and Dragapult let out a weaker purple beam of a fiery energy that hit the Dracovish. Joshua let out a sigh of relief as Dragapult gained the upper hand in the fight. He hadn't even noticed that he was so tense, but the battle was even more nerve-wracking knowing Leon could lose. Only Raihan had gotten him to this point, and only in a few battles.

The battle continued with Dragapult dodging all the attacks as Dracovish tried different methods to hit it. In the end, Dracovish feinted its weakness so that Dragapult would let its guard down, and then it bit into it with a Crunch. Weakened from the attack, Leon ended up trying to reduce this to a distance fight, with beams being fired, until Dracovish was finally taken down.

"Yes! Leon took it down! Now it's an even game! Hah, I knew this battle would be a waste of time!" Joshua exclaimed as his heart raced. Just two more Pokémon, and Leon would obviously win this! He _had_ to win this! He was the unbeatable Leon!

The next Pokémon that Eugene sent out was a male Indeedee. It bowed and gave a humble, little chime that was similar to a bell. Dragapult landed on the ground with a smile as it opened its mouth. It gave a dorky and cheerful hiss as its long tongue licked the side of its mouth. Dreepy called out happily as it floated onto Eugene's head and wrapped its little tail around his neck. The little goofball stuck its chunky tongue out as it watched the Dragon-Type on TV get fired up.

The two Pokémon's battle was more elegant than the previous battle. It was almost like a dance, each one moving in step with the other. A Psychic attack was warded off by a Flamethrower, and a Tri Attack blocked a Thunderbolt. Move after move was used as the two creatures stood evenly matched, not taking any more damage.

While this was going on, their babysitter exited the kitchen with a tray full of cookies, and his Sliggoo carried a basket full of Pokéfood. Sebastion was a Gym Trainer who Raihan had trained personally, and today Raihan had asked for him to babysit Joshua and Lilac.

Sebastian had medium length black hair that ended at the bottom of his neck, and he wore thin frame black glasses. On his right hand was a blue and black glove that he always wore, even outside the gym challenges. Instead of his gym leader outfit, he wore a casual tee with a realistic, yet stylized Dragonite on the front and black pants. He had on a pair of plain white, fuzzy slippers.

"Oh, Eugene is still battling Leon? I thought it would be over by now." Sebastian said as he set the food on the mahogany table. Sliggoo nodded as he placed the basket on the table.

"Is Eugene really that good? His Pokémon seem to be able to fight back against Leon really well, but surely he can't win." Joshua observed as he sheepishly took a cookie from the tray. They had already cooled down, so he didn't need to worry about being burned. Dreepy floated over to the Pokéfood as it stretched it tongue out to collect the brown pellets. It gleefully scarfed the food down as it watched the bigger dragon fight.

"Hmmm, well he did defeat my rain team. And his fight against Raihan was truly a sight to behold. So, I would say that Eugene is a cut above the rest." Sebastian said as he sat next to Lilac, who was watching the TV intensely. She didn't even reach for a cookie as the Pokémon continued to trade blows.

"Well, it doesn't matter. Leon is going to win and that's that. He has to! He promised me that once I turned ten, he would wait for me to battle him with my team! As a champion!" Joshua said, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He had always dreamed of battling Leon in the finals of the Champion's Cup, with a powerful Pokémon by his side. He always thought that Duraludon would be a perfect partner for him to challenge Leon with. It would be just like his cousin's Duraludon, but even stronger! Joshua was interrupted from his fantasy by his babysitter's chuckling. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, it's just you remind me of my little cousin, Allen. He's slightly older than you and will be starting his adventure next summer. But, he has the same kind of fire you do. Every family reunion I go to he's always bragging about how he'll tame a Dratini and have it be his partner. After three years of training and finally graduating, he and his sisters are looking forward to taming their first Pokémon." Sebastian said.

"What do you mean when you say tame? Do you mean catch?" Joshua asked as he continued to eat the cookie.

"Oh, it's just a Zetsuboji, where he's from, tradition. Tamers don't capture Pokémon, but they do befriend them, not unlike Rangers. But, they befriend them permanently. Sort of like the old wives' tale about the Ranger who called Legendary Pokémon with signs."

"Why do they even have that tradition? It sounds like a waste of time if you can just capture Pokémon now. Why wait until the age of twelve or thirteen to go through some useless training? It seems counterproductive," Lilac chimed in as she continued to watch the stalemate.

"Well, it's mainly to keep that part of human culture alive. Zetsuboji is supposed to be a sanctuary region, and as such, Pokémon from every region are supposed to trickle in. Tamers actually play an important role in introducing new Pokémon from other regions. They also get to tame Legendary Pokémon." Sebastian said in a matter-of-fact tone of voice.

Joshua's jaw dropped as he turned to look at Sebastian who was petting his Sliggoo. Sliggoo gave a purr like "goo" sound as it followed his hand and nudged it down towards its back. A thin membrane of slime covered Sebastian's hand, but he didn't seem to mind.

"They get to use Legendary Pokémon? Wait, does that mean all Legendary Pokémon exist? They aren't myths like the Easter Buneary? Does this mean that during the Star Festival, Jirachi will actually grant wishes?!" questions flew out of Joshua mouth at this new piece of information. "Oh wow, now I want to be a Tamer just so I can become partners with a Legendary Pokémon!"

"But, if you do become a Tamer you'll have to pass a special test. Unlike being a Trainer, which only requires primary school education and a special afterschool program, being a Tamer requires going through the equivalent of second form in Zetsuboji." Sebastian said.

"If I'm allowed to befriend Legendary Pokémon, it seems worth the wait! When Raihan gets home, I'll ask him if I can go to Zetsuboji to train to be a Tamer!"

"But it's your birthday today! I would assume that Raihan got you a surprise for it. Perhaps he got you a very special Pokémon to journey with? Would you really be willing to delay the start of your journey just to be a Tamer?"

Joshua gave a smile at the thought of getting his first Pokémon, but he tried to hide it by shoving another cookie into his mouth.

"When you put it like that, no. And now, I kind of want my starter to be Charmander, just like Leon's. That way, I can have the best partner ever!" Joshua said as he turned around to watch the match. Both Pokémon were looking worn-out, and each trainer gave out one final order.

"Flamethrower!"

"Tri Attack!"

The combination of flames and the triple orbs of fire, lightning, and ice hit each other dead on and they combined into an explosion. Anticipation filled Joshua as the smoke blew across the open field. The young boy watched with trepidation as the dust began to settle and the battlefield became visible. Through the clearing smoke, Joshua could see that the two Pokémon laid on the field, fainted. With a surprised cry, Joshua bit down on his cookie in shock. The battled was now one on one! Charizard verses the last Pokémon Eugene had.

_Who is it? If it's his Rillaboom, he should just give up. There's no way Rillaboom can beat Charizard. _Joshua thought to himself as both trainers recalled their Pokémon.

With an arrogant smile, Eugen unhooked a Pokéball from his waist. Leon gave a carefree, yet excited smile as he unhooked his Pokéball. Both competitors threw their balls to the center, and when they hit the ground, a white light exploded from both. One formed into a Charizard, and another formed into a Greedent.

The crowd roared as they cheered on the two powerhouses that appeared on the field. Greedent was a lucky Pokémon for Eugene. He had befriended it on the second route of his journey, and the crowd have been able to watch it take down powerful foes throughout the gyms. Honestly, no one knew if Eugen could have made it this far without Greedent.

"Yeah, meet the queen of my life! She's big, she's bad, and she's ready to beat down any Charizard in her path! Give it up for the titan that rules the world, Squazzil!" Eugene yelled as he pointed forward. Greedent gave a combative squeak as it stared down the Charizard.

"Well, my partner is fired up as well! He is eager to finish this battle in a red-hot fiery show of spirit!" Leon said as he prepared to return his Charizard. With a low, pleased grumble, the dragon raised its wings proudly.

"Squazzil and Charizard, huh…? I guess we predicted that one, but to see it actually happening is something a bit… surreal. Charizard is super powerful, but that Greedent is no joke. I've seen her completely body Gym Leaders." Joshua observed as the two challengers stared each other down.

"Alright Charizard, this is the final curtain call! Let's give this impassioned battle everything we've got!" Leon yelled as he returned his Charizard. "I'll show you what Charizard can really do! It's Gigantamax time!"

In one hand, the Ultra Ball grew to the size of about a beach ball as Leon single handily threw the orb behind him. The ball dissipated and a smaller version of the Gigantamax Charizard appeared. Charizard's wings had turned into a fire and a stream of bright red flames came pouring out of its mouth like thick Whiscash's whiskers. Its belly was glowing a bright white and golden diamonds appeared on the bottom of its belly in a cluster. Its plantigrade stance had now become a digitigrade stance, and its horns had grown larger and began to spout fire. It stood straight up as it stared down at the tiny Greedent, who just gave a look of joyful defiance.

"Tear up the field with your burning-hot G-Max Wildfire!" Leon ordered. His Charizard's whole body began to glow as its fire wings began to flare out of control. Soon, the glowing became concentrated on its wing, and thrusting its wings forward, a fiery tornado erupted from them and hit Greedent dead on. The little Normal-Type put its tiny paws out in front of it and held onto the massive fire! The powerful tornado whipped around Greedent and pieces of its fur singed, but Squazzil would not yield. Soon, the tornado engulfed her and in an explosion of fire, hid the Greedent from view.

Joshua waited to see if Eugene's final Pokémon had survived the battle. Surely, no one could survive such a devastating attack. Especially not a Route 1 Pokémon. But, as the flames petered out, Greedent signature smile could be seen on its face as it panted from the force of the attack. At the bottom of the screen, an HP bar popped up and although the rodent was low on HP, it wasn't at half yet. In fact, it was still in the green, but just barely!

"Play your fancy tunes for the audience, why don'tca?! Belly Drum!" Eugene ordered. With a grin, Squazzil began to hit its belly with tremendous force. The war dance tune echoed through the stadium and the people in the stadium began to clap along. Chants of "Squazzil" echoed throughout the crowd as they stamped their feet and clapped their hands. Eugene was known for his variety, but also for his risky plays. Everyone knew that if he didn't play this carefully, he would lose. But, Eugene has never lost a battle yet.

As a red energy consumed Squazzil, the poor Pokémon appeared to be on the edge of collapse, and the HP bar showed that. It was barely a nub of red. It teetered and swooned, but it had enough energy to bring its tail in front of it and snatch a purple berry with nubs that it had stored earlier. Joshua knew which berry it had picked well and knew that Eugene had given the berry to her earlier. Squazzil gobbled down the Wiki Berry with ferocious speed. The HP bar popped up to being green, with only a little more than a quarter missing.

"Impossible! Eugene went for an extremely risky play! A Pokémon won't eat those kinds of berries unless it's a dire situation! This is because it can cause confusion to Pokémon who dislike the flavor. That alone usually makes Pokémon normally stay far away from it. A research paper that was recently published stated that there was a strong correlation with a Pokémon's health and its willingness to eat the berry. The scientist estimated that at around 25% or lower HP, the Pokémon will eat the berry and recover 33% HP. While this still needs to be peer reviewed, assuming this is a concrete theory, this plan would only work if Squazzil took less than 50% of its health, but more than 35%. That is about a 15% margin of error! A Sitrus Berry could have worked in this situation, and it's much more palatable for Squazzil than a Wiki Berry." the commentator explained.

Left over flames from the tornado singed some more of Greedent's health, but it wasn't enough to matter.

"Ummm, what does peer review mean?" Lilac asked.

"It just means that your peers look over your work and make sure that your work isn't flawed. Think of it like when you grade your classmates work when your teacher decides to have the kids swap their work." Sebastian explained.

"I thought HP was a contentious term in the biology community. Wasn't there dissent from some top professors at Celadon University? You know, Professor Oak did teach there at one point, so it has to be a good university." Joshua piped up.

"Joshua, peace. We'll learn about it when it is all sorted out, but for now, HP is the current accepted idea. Just because someone dissented doesn't mean that they're automatically right. People dissent on the nature of the move Metronome all the time. It doesn't make the current fact of how it works any different." Sebastian said.

While they were talking, Squazzil glared back at Charizard with defiance, and Eugene pointed her Pokéball at her. In her excitement, the cheeky critter squeaked and stuck out her tongue at Charizard. The giant dragon shook its massive head and gave its partner an exasperated look. Joshua snickered at Charizard's lighthearted personality. Even if it had grown to giant proportions, it was still the same Charizard.

Leon just gave Charizard a grin, almost amused at how touchy the giant Pokémon was being, but also, pitying the poor, annoyed creature. Crossing its arms, Charizard grumbled before turning his head towards the sky in an act of petty defiance.

The corners of Eugene's lips twitched as he returned his Greedent, and the Pokéball grew to an enormous size. With one finger, he twirled it like a basketball while holding his cap over his eyes with a cocky smile. Then, he tossed it into the air slightly to catch it with his palm and just casually tossed it over his shoulder.

As soon as Greedent appeared again, it began to grow bigger and bigger until it stared Charizard right in the eyes. The crowd roared and hooted as the two Pokémon finally got to show off. Joshua watched with eager eyes because he knew this would be a challenge for Charizard! But, it was one that Charizard would surely triumph in! Leon had never lost, and he surely wasn't going to lose to some nobody!

"Hmph, it seems like you're able to withstand my strongest attack. Your little Greedent is full of surprises. But, the fact you guessed how well your Pokémon could stand up to us within a 15% margin of error doesn't exactly make me cower in fear. Those flames around you will be your downfall and so will this! Let's go! G-Max Wildfire!" Leon ordered, and Charizard let loose another fiery tornado from its wings.

"Don't get too overconfident. This will be decided with one single blow! No one can stand up to Greedent and live to tell the tale!" Eugene exclaimed as his Greedent caught the tornado of fire again, and this time, it didn't even struggle to take the blow.

"I think I see Eugene's strategy. No matter what, Greedent would have survived. It knows Thunder Fang, so it was never reliant on Belly Drum working. From the very moment he gave Greedent the Wiki Berry, the fight was over when Greedent Dynamaxed." the announcer said.

Joshua gulped as he watched Greedent give a defiant smile, before whipping its tail back and forth. Was there really no way for Leon to win? There had to be a way… Leon could still win this, even if it looked bleak. _Please don't let your first real loss be to someone who uses a beginner level Pokémon. Please Leon… _Joshua pleaded internally. He wanted Leon to keep his promise. He wanted to battle Leon in the Minor League finals! Not some nobody who just showed up out of nowhere!

"Finish this once and for all! Max Strike!" Eugene ordered, and his Greedent gave a jolly squeal. Locking its forearms into its chest, its whole body began to glow as it raised its foot and stomped into the ground. The floor in the stadium began to crack, and directly beneath Charizard, the earth began to raise as yellow energy started to bubble up. With a panic look, Charizard tried to flap its wings to get away, but a bright white light exploded from below and engulfed it. In no time, the HP bar went from full to empty in a heartbeat.

Joshua sat there, his eyes glued to the telly as Charizard shrunk down to its normal size and fell forward, causing a plume dust to gather around the orange dragon. Joshua's heart began to sink as he watched Charizard fall. _Get up! Get up! Please, just get up!_ Joshua begged and prayed. He wanted Charizard to rise like it usually did and beat that Greedent into a pulp! But, it never rose. Its eyes laid shut as the crowd grew hush. The referee walked over to Charizard, checking for telltale signs that the Pokémon was unable to battle. With a breath, the referee made his judgment.

"Charizard is unable to battle. The winner is the challenger 096, Eugene from Postwick!" the referee announced. Being flooded with all kinds of emotions, Joshua responded how a lot of kids did in stressful, new situations. He began to bawl his eyes out.

* * *

**Additional tidbit: '96' can be read as 'ku-ro', which means 'black'. Eugene thinks of himself as a dark horse destined to come from behind and win, which is why he chose the number, in universe.**


	3. Chapter 2: The Tail of a Thief

**Chapter 2: The Tail of a Thief**

A few hours after the historic loss, and the end of the ceremony that ushered in Eugene as the new champion, Joshua had stopped crying, but he still had the residual hiccuping and his eyes were still wet. He vigorously whipped his faces with his hands, trying to get rid of the remaining tears.

Joshua hated the fact that Eugene had won. He was looking forwards to facing Leon in the finals, and now, he didn't even have that. _Eugene ruined everything…_ Joshua thought as Sebastian gave his and Lilac a comforting rub on the back.

The loss had shocked Lilac, but she was as inconsolable as Joshua. Lilac wasn't as crushed as he was because she never wanted to be a trainer. She had always wanted to be a teacher and specialize in teaching history like their mom and dad. So, to her, it was a huge shock, but it wasn't something that affected her dreams.

"Joshua, are you feeling any better? Do you want to call your mum?" Sebastian asked in a tranquil tone. Being too distraught to answer, Joshua just nodded while sniffling and whipping his face. He heard the familiar dialing of the phone and the phone began to ring. Taking the Rotophone from Sebastian, Joshua soon heard a click that let him know it was answered.

"Hello?" a sweet, feminine voice answered on the other end. The voice sounded jovial, but Joshua noticed a hint of fatigue in the voice. _Mummy probably had a long day at work… _Joshua thought sympathetically. He was now a little hesitant to tell her what happened, since she was probably dealing with something big at her job.

"H-hello, m-m-mummy!" he stuttered as his throat closed up. He cursed himself at being unable to hide his emotions. He didn't want his mom to stress out because he was upset.

"Huh, why's my big, strong boy crying? Are you upset that Leon lost?" she asked.

"N-no, I-I'm not. I-I just-" before he could finish, she began talking.

"Joshua, how many times do I need to tell you? It's okay to be sad about these things. I mean, I _still_ get upset when a character in a show I like dies. I might even cry a little if I'm alone. It's very human to cry when something doesn't go the way you want to or expect." his mother said, her light voice sweeping around him like a comforting breeze.

"I'm not s-sad, I'm just… I'm worried t-that y-your work is t-to stressful," Joshua said, trying to change the subject. He took silent deep breaths in an attempt to control his breathing. As his feelings began to overwhelm him, he wiped his wet eyes, frustrated that he couldn't get himself under control.

"Ah, yes. Exploring the submerged ruins of Unova is tiring work. But, it's also rewarding. In fact, I have a secret that might cheer you up a little. You'd be the first to know besides the research team. Do you want to hear it?" his mom asked, a tease at the end of her voice. Smiling a little, Joshua was able to get better control of his hiccup.

"Y-yes, please."

"We've just got through deciphering some ancient text. The Ultra Beast just come from Alola. In fact, they might not have originally come to Alola. They might have originally come to Unova first. So, the working theory is that the people that were reported to live in the Ultra Space were originally from Unova. We don't have all the pieces yet, but the pictographs suggest that the Ultra Beast they saw were Xurkitree, Guzzlord, and Nihilego. Of course, Nihilego is just a guess because it's a fish with a hook on it. We hypothesis that the people used to catch Frillish or Jellicent in mass while fishing, so that symbol might have something to do with that. If it's true that Ultra Beast first came to Unova, we might want to take a look at Kalos and those statues of Reshiram and Zekrom. Unless the two dragons awoke again between the twins and the scuffle with N and the other two legendary trainers, there should be no reason why Kalos and Unova had contact, seeing as they had no trade routes at the time." the tiredness seem to dissipate from his mother's voice as she gabbed about their new discovery. Of course, Joshua didn't follow all of it, but he got the basics.

"S-so, y-you're going t-to Kalos, next?"

"Yes! Once we are done exploring these ruins, we're heading off to Kalos!" her voice sored with the usual jubilation that she always had after a new discovery. Joshua slightly flinched a little bit as he heard his mom give an excited gasp. "Oh, I nearly forgot to ask you! Can you please give my regards to Professor Sonia? Her discovers about the two princes were a very rare treat, especially since I'm in Unova! Comparing and contrasting how the princes from Unova and Galar have been eye opening and especially revealing. If I wasn't so focused on the origins of the Ultra Beasts, I would love to come back and compare notes with her on the royals' methods of rule. Because the Unova reign ended in utter disaster, but the Galar reign was actually pretty peaceful."

"When I get back from my journey, will you be back?" Joshua's hiccuping and sniffling had finally died down. Although he still felt a little heavy from sadness, he wanted to talk to his mum.

"No, dear… As a mum, I'm disappointed that I keep missing big events in your life. I'm grateful to Raihan for taking you in so you could finish primary school, but I wish I was around for it. I wish I was around for your first Pokemon, and I wish I could be around to see you off as you begin your journey. And now, since we have to stay here to collect more evidence, and then head to Kalos, I won't be back for at least seven months. I know it's unfair to you to have an absent mother."

"No, mum! It's okay! I know that if you were here, you'd cheer me on! I love you dearly mum and I'll never think any less of you if you and daddy aren't here! Raihan takes really good care of me, and Sebastian is the best babysitter, right next to Melissa. You're the best mummy anyone on Earth- no, the universe! You're the best mummy anyone in the whole entire universe can have! So, please, don't worry!"

"Heh, I was supposed to be consoling you, but now you're trying to console me. Thanks, Joshua. I'm sure that you'll do well during the Gym Challenge. Just remember to stay safe."

"Don't worry! My teacher taught me all the basics of survival and I have my Rotophone in case of emergencies. And when I join the Gym Challenge, I'll get the Flying Taxi's number, so I won't ever be alone without a way to get help. I'll be fine."

"Yes, you will, sweetie. I trust in you. Oh, can I talk to Lilac for a minute, please?"

"Sure!" Joshua handed the phone to his little sister who was listening with a small frown. Taking the phone, she began to talk to their mom.

"Do you feel any better?" Sebastian asked, rubbing Joshua's head.

"Yeah, and I have one mission now! I'm going to complete my Gym Challenge and beat that Eugene! No one takes down my idol and gets away with it!" Joshua declared. His red eyes burned brightly with determination. Starting today, he would research all of Joshua's team and create the perfect counter for it.

* * *

A week later, Raihan was taking him on the train with his sister to visit Wedgehurst. Joshua was busy looking up information on his Rotophone to see what partner he would want. If he wanted a starter Pokemon, Scorbunny would counter his Rillaboom. Sobble would be great against his Centiscorch, but honestly, Drednaw would be better. Grookey would be good against none of his Pokemon since Dracovish was a Dragon-Type and resisted its attacks. The wise choice would be Scorbunny, and he decided that Scorbunny would be his starter. Putting his phone down, he looked up expectantly at Raihan, who was sitting across from him.

"I've got it! I want a Scorbunny!" Joshua announced. Raihan gave a good-natured, but cautious smile.

"Hmmm, maybe you'll want to be a little open-minded? Not all Pokemon are the same, and this Scrobunny might prove a little too difficult for you to handle. Plus, what if you like Sobble or Grookey more?" Raihan suggested.

"Nuts to that. Scorbunny is the only one that offers me a clear advantage against Eugene! Sobble and Grookey are useless when it comes to fighting his team." Joshua slunk into his chair and grumbled a little. He wanted to beat Eugene no matter what.

"Dreeeee..." Dreepy popped its head through the bag Joshua was carrying, thanks to its Ghost-typing. The bag was a dragon sports bag that Raihan had bought for Joshua as a birthday gift.

"I think Dreepy disagrees with you." Raihan chuckled. "He seemed just about ready to go to his forever home. Am I right, Dreepy?"

Dreepy simply nodded before yawning and flying over to Lilac's lap to sleep. Instinctively, Lilac began to pet the little creature. Giving a little purr, Dreepy closed its pupils to get a little shut eye.

"Hey, Raihan, you never told me what Dreepy is. Does it evolve from Applin?" Joshua inquired.

"Hmmm, does it?" Raihan gave a playful grin. "Ah, you have to learn some things on your journey! It's no fun if I just give you all the answers!"

Rolling his eyes, Joshua just looked at Dreepy to see what he could observe. Its face was shaped like Dragapult, but its body totally could fit inside an apple! Even the tail looked like Applin with those two spikes at the end. Joshua could imagine those leafy eyes turning into an arrow shaped head.

Before Joshua could settle on an answer, the train came to a stop. Dreepy grumbled and levitated off of Lilac's lap and back into Joshua's bag again.

"We have arrived at Wedgehurst. We hope that you've enjoyed the ride and have a great day." the announcer said. As soon as the announcement came on, the people around them were shuffling their luggage from the containers above them. People of all kinds of were coming to visit Wedgehurst. He spotted kids hugging Pokemon like Caterpie and Nincada close. There was a young woman that was holding a rather timid looking Sneasel's paw as she slung her purse over her shoulder. And he even manages to catch a glimpse of a girl with an Eevee riding in a big duffel bag. The Eevee looked around with a weary look, seemingly unsure of its new surroundings.

"It's close to the Star Festival, so everyone is here to spend it with their family. Hey, Raihan, Altair and Vega will be meeting again soon! That means that everyone will get to make a wish!" Lilac exclaimed, before pouting. "Although… it'll be a little lonely since Joshua will already be on his big journey already. Not having mum and dad is one thing… but, not having my big brother around will make it the hardest Star Festival yet..."

"Well, we can do something for it before I leave. Hey, maybe we can make some special treats in the shape of Pokemon before I leave. Would that be okay?" Joshua asked as he got up from his sear. Lilac nodded as she picked up her pink backpack from the ground. It had a generic cute girl with Liepard ears and a Liepard tail, and a magic wand.

The three exited the train, only to be greeted by a scene that Joshua was hoping to avoid. Hop and Eugene had arrived in the town before them, and a crowd had already formed in front of them. As per usual, Eugene was showing off by holding his cap down while pointing to the sky in an over dramatic fashion.

"Wow, Eugene is here in person! We should totally go meet him! Please, can we Raihan? Can we?" Lilac begged as she hopped up and down in excitement.

"Please, why do we need to meet a little showoff. Look, he's just going to lose soon, so he's irrelevant." Joshua grumbled as he tried to walk away. But, he soon noticed that Raihan and Lilac weren't following behind him. Looking back, he spotted Raihan and Lilac were making their way through the crowd to talk to Eugene. Giving a huff of annoyance, Joshua followed after them. Slipping through the people, Joshua made his way to where his family was. To his dismay, they had already reached Eugene.

"Long time no see, Raihan! And you must be his beautiful cousin, Lilac." Eugene said as he put his hands in his pockets. Lilac gave a shy giggle before hiding behind her cousin and peeking out from behind him. Lilac was only a year younger than Eugene, so she didn't expect him to be able to look her in the eye. Usually, her heroes could look over her with relative ease.

"Hey, Eugene! Your battle against Leon was really awe inspiring. You two had me on the edge of my seat as you exchanged blows! If I was up there, I would take a thousand selfies with just how many cool moments you pulled off." Raihan said as his Rotophone floated out in front of him. Its eyes showed it was exasperated with his antics, but the sentient phone seemed to enjoy them none the less. "Right, you should show him the pictures I took of the battle! Thanks, Rotom. You always know just what I want."

"I would love to see them another time, but there's something more important than that? Perhaps, there's a birthday boy who wishes to get his first partner?" Eugene said he glanced over at Joshua. Joshua frowned as he heard Eugene was supposed to give him his first Pokemon. _No way in the Ghost World am I accepting a Pokemon from him._ Joshua thought.

"Right, Josh, is here for his first Pokemon. Sobble, Grookey, and Scorbunny, right?"

Joshua suddenly didn't want any of those Pokemon. Growing more annoyed with each passing second, Joshua just stood their patiently and tried to hide it. He knew he shouldn't be ungrateful, but still. Joshua took a deep breath and put on a smile. His infant year 1 teacher had said that being sad was just a state of mine and smiling would fix it. Then again, this was also the same teacher who he had overheard tell another teacher that his favorite teacher, Ms. Williams, shouldn't be a teacher because she had depression. So, he didn't know how much he could trust her advice about emotions because he never saw Ms. Williams sad.

"Right, I'm sure he's super excited to get his Pokemon from the new Champion! After all, that match was truly something awe-inspiring. I hope that it got you to see what a real battle is like and inspired you! And I'm sure that you'll enjoy the collection of starter Pokemon I've acquired." Eugene said. Hop just facepalmed as the words exited Eugene's mouth. Joshua's rage finally boiled over, and he had enough of trying to contain his emotions. So, instead, he simply stormed off from where Eugene was, much to the older boy's confusion. He just didn't seem to understand why Joshua wasn't grateful to him. Joshua could hear Hop say something, but he could make it out.

Even though Raihan called out for Joshua to come back, Joshua ignored him and walked through the crowed and headed towards Route 1.

* * *

Settling down under a tree, Joshua gave a sigh as he let himself cool off after that huge explosion. The heat of his anger was still radiating inside of him, and he just wanted some space from everyone. He knew that once had cleared his head, he had to go see Raihan and Eugene to apologize to both. He already knew that he acted in an immature manner, but he was just so consumed with his emotions that he couldn't be bothered to stop himself. Joshua turned his head towards the calm blue sky and watched as the fluffy clouds rolled by.

The hot day was filled with the bleating of Wooloo as they grazed nearby. Sharp hooves click against the dirt road as the Wooloo milled about, their only concern being the fresh green grass that grew on the road. Joshua sighed and wished he could be a Wooloo. All they needed was some comfy grass, a clear sky, plenty of space to roam, and they would be happy. The sparsely wooded area was perfect for them, since they had plenty of space to roam. Wooloo were notoriously easy to please and their constant bleating reminded Joshua of something his mom used to say whenever he was upset.

"Let your troubles roll away, like a Wooloo."

Blinking, Joshua decided to watch the Wooloo as they meandered around the road.

Some Wooloo were rolling through the fields of golden hay as a Yamper chased after them without a care in the world, while other grazed without fear or worry. The earthy scent of nature filled the air, and the refreshing scent began to clear Joshua's mind. _I did overreact a little… I guess I do owe Eugene an apologize since he didn't know I was a little sore about Leon losing. _Joshua thought and let out a sigh.

As he was about to get up, a Nickit with a brown bag dangling loosely from its jaws crossed in front of him and looked at him. The Pokemon's eyes grew wide and is suddenly darted off in the other direction with the sandwich in its mouth.. It took refuge in the tall hay, as it watched him wearily. Joshua kept a close eye on where Nickit was, and made sure that as he got up, he also slowly back away from the frightened Pokemon. He didn't want to spook the Pokemon so bad that it ran away and accidently knocked into another Pokemon. Whenever he startled a Pokemon, he would always walk as far away as possible from it, so it didn't bolt in fear.

It watched him with shifty eyes, trying to size him up from the tall hay. Joshua didn't even bother as he walked away. He wasn't going to disturb it, because a spooked Pokemon could potentially be deadly to itself. Joshua paused as he heard the shuffling from a little down the road. In response, the Nickit completely disappeared into the thick bundle of hay.

"I can't believe that this keeps happening… What is this? The second time this week that Nickit has stolen our food?"

"If mum ever finds out about this, we're going to be in really big trouble…"

"Mum is already annoyed that we're hanging out with the supposed 'town thief', as she calls her. She'll blow her lid if she finds out we keep losing our lunch to the same "town thief" ..."

Turing his attention towards the voice, Joshua spotted three kids, two boys and one girl, that seemed to be in second year junior, walking down the desolate road. The girl had on a pretty pink pleated dress while the boys were dressed in a brown shirt and overalls. All three were covered in some form of dirt and muck.

_I wonder if that Nickit I saw was the one who took their sandwiches. If so, I should probably help them._ Joshua thought as he walked over to the kids.

"Hey, I just saw a Nickit with a sandwich earlier. Is that the thief you were talking about?" Joshua called out, making the kids stop and their tracks and look towards Joshua.

"Yeah, that's Nickit alright! It has been causing a ton of problems lately. People used to feed it, and it even used to be a part of our group, but now it's gone rogue… It steals our sandwiches and avoids us whenever we try to get close." one of the boys explained.

"Group?" Joshua echoed.

"Yeah! We belonged to a secret group where us and a group of wild Pokemon patrol the area, stopping bad guys from entering! Eugene used to lead us, but he left to go become Champion," the girl said.

"So, when did this behavior start?" Joshua inquired.

"When Eugene left, Nickit began to steal things that didn't belong to it. We tried to stop it, but it avoided us and began to steal our food too. Although, Nickit wasn't close to Eugene, so this change seems a little weird. Thinking back on it, even before Eugene left, it seemed a little skittish around the other wild Pokemon and would often use Quick Attack on them if they got too close." the other boy said.

_Hmmm… So, it started a little over six months ago? Well, since I'm here, I might as well help as a way to clear my own mind. Now, when solving a mystery, you're supposed to rule out the impossible. I can rule out Eugene's leaving being a cause since the problems were already manifesting. But, I can't rule out that his presence was preventing the problem from getting worse. Next step should be to gather eyewitness accounts. So, that means asking around town. _Joshua nodded towards the kids as he decided on the next course of action.

"Right, let's see what other people have to say. And then we'll form a hypothesis and check to see if it's right."

The second boy gasped in delight at the word 'hypothesis'. An ear-to-ear smile stretched across his face.

"Oh! I know what a hypothesis is! We're currently using one for our science project! So, we're expects in that already!" the second boy proclaimed proudly. Joshua couldn't help but be infected by his delight and gave a rather boyish smile. "But, can you even use hypothesizes outside of science?"

"Yes, it's common to have a hypothesis in things like, um, law! A working hypothesis always narrows down the options. But, before we can make one, we need to talk to the other people in the village. Gathering eyewitness accounts is very important."

_Right, here's one time my obsession with the telly actually might pay off. I'll solve this case like how Detective Sherlock Holmes, or Kogoro Akechi solve their cases with the Baker Street Irregulars or the Boy Detective Club. _Joshua began to walk towards Postwick with a smug smile. _And mum said that the telly was a waste of time and I should reduce my screen time._

The little children scuttled behind him as they strolled down the road. As they walked down the road, there were no wild Pokemon around that Joshua could spot.

Most of the time, the wild Pokemon didn't take this path. The amount of human foot traffic and the lack of food or shelter made it an unideal spot for Wild Pokemon. Occasionally they would drift over to the road, but that was usually an accident, or they were looking for something that a human drop. Either way, the Pokemon would soon find themselves back in the undergrowth.

Within ten minutes, the group of children reached the small town of Postwick. What greeted Joshua was a scene of Wooloo rolling all over the place. _No wonder Hop's first Pokemon was a Wooloo! This place is absolutely flooded with them. _Joshua thought as two Wooloo bumped into each other and rolled away in separate directions. A sea of Wooloo blanketed the small town as they meandered around. Some were walking, while other paused to graze on the luscious grass.

The town itself was only made up of a few houses and a rickety old inn. From the entrance, Joshua could see no nearby stores, so he assumed that they were at the city's square. It would make sense, seeing as that's where the most people would congregate in small towns like these.

"We should go see Ms. Savage. She might know something since Nickit visited her house every day and used to sleep under it." the girl offered. Before any of the boys could offer a rebuttal, she began to walk further into town. Suppressing a sigh, Joshua and the other two boys followed after her.

"Since we're going to be working together to solve this mystery, I should know your names, at the very least." Joshua said.

"I'm Stacey!" the girl answered.

"Billy Bob!" the little boy with messy hair said.

"And I'm Greg!" the other boy announced.

"Along with Nickit, and Skwovet, we'd make The Quirky Quintet!" Greg said.

"Quirky, huh? That's a big word..." Joshua said as he continued to follow the girl. "Oh, by the way, the name is Joshua."

"It's nice to meet you, Joshua! And our dad taught us that 'quirky' means unique, so we decided to use it!" Stacey exclaimed.

_Oh, so that's what that word meant. I had heard it, but I was always too lazy to look it up._

They soon came to a white picket fence where a sign that read 'Beware of unleashed Pokemon' hung on the gate. Undeterred, Billy Bob open the gate and walked into the yard, with his two siblings following behind him. Hesitating for moment, Joshua soon decided to follow after them since they possibly knew the person who lived here.

The group walked over to a middle-aged lady who was tending to a flowerbed of petunias and daffodils. The lady glanced up at the group and gave a welcoming smile.

"Hey, it's terrible trio! What can I do for ya today?" she asked as she placed her gardening tools down. As she looked up fully from her work, her eyes rested on Joshua. "Oh, it seems you dragged another kid into your mess. Is this the Affray that the towns' people have been making such a big fuss about?"

"No, we haven't even seen Affray yet, Ms. Savage. This boy is named Joshua and he's trying to help us figure out why Nickit keeps stealing!" Greg explained.

"Ah, that little rascal has been causing all sorts of trouble lately! The adults have had it up to here with the little thief, and I wouldn't be surprise if they decided to re-home it to the Wild Area," Ms. Savage said. The little kids' faces began to grow red as they balled up their fist.

"That's not true," Billy Bob yelled. He glared at the ground as he tried to contain his emotions. "Nickit is innocent, and Joshua is going to prove it!"

"Yeah, he'll find out why Nickit is behaving so badly! Then we'll show the adults that Nickit is just fine here!" Stacey declared.

"Right, we believe in Nickit! If something is wrong, then something must have happened to make it change! We're going to prove Nickit is a good Pokemon!" Greg said.

_This is more dire than I thought. If I don't do something soon, these three might lose Nickit. _Joshua gave the trio a look of pity. _I suspect that Nickit is just preparing for evolution, and if it is, the adults might know more and should do what they see is right with Nickit. But, if there is an actual problem, the adults might be too busy to see something is wrong._

"Ms. Savage, did anything different happen about six months ago? The Quirky Quintet say that Nickit slept under your house, so I was wondering if you noticed something. It doesn't have to be something big, or even seemingly connected." Joshua inquired.

"Well, yeah. Eight months ago, my prized Wooloo evolved and seven months ago, I sold the three offspring she had with a roving Linoone. My Dubwool is a prized Pokemon who has won may festivals thanks to her soft wool and huge size. Her pedigree is worth a hefty quid, and people would pay good money for children of pedigree with good parentage. But, those offspring were next to worthless to me, so I gave them away to lonely Mr. Barker. I thought that having some company would make him a little less sad." Ms. Savage said.

Joshua blinked in genuine surprise. He had never heard something so callous come out of a person's mouth. Nor had he ever heard newborn Pokemon being called worthless. Where he came from, Pokemon all had some sort of worth. But, it seemed as if the Wooloo also had some worth. Even though Ms. Savage's words were cruel, her intentions were pure. She had tried to alleviate the loneliness of a neighbor.

"Okay… so, what about Nickit? Did you notice anything strange?" Joshua asked.

Ms. Savage thought for a minute before she nodded. "Yes, I actually did! When I sent the Wooloo away, Nickit became more reluctant to come into my yard. Which is understandable. My Dubwool was wreaking havoc all over the yard. But, the next month, she calmed down significantly, and the Nickit would only sneak in when she was asleep. I guess to sleep."

"Nickit was acting skittish a little after Wooloo evolved. During patrols, she would run off occasionally and joined back up near the end. Do you think that there's something there?" Stacey asked.

"As my hero from _Case Study_ always says, 'correlation does not equal causation'! It means-" Greg cut Joshua off.

"It means that just because things seem connected doesn't mean they are!" as his siblings and Joshua began to stare at him, Greg blushed and twiddled his fingers. "Sorry, but I just love to watch _Case Study_! It teaches me so much about how wonderful Pokemon are!"

"Right, well, that's exactly what that means. So, we need to investigate this some more. Let see if we can gather any information on the situation by questioning those who it stole from." Joshua said.

"Alright, but I don't think it'll do you any good. It's probably just close to evolving and is deciding to go feral. Only a good trainer can help the poor soul if it wants to live close to humans. Otherwise, it needs to go back to the Wild Area to live." Ms. Savage remarked, going back to her gardening.

Stacey, Billy Bob, and Greg gave each other a determined look and walked off. Joshua followed after them. _Adults really are clueless sometimes. They see everything as a threat and only one way, even when there are more ways to look at anything. Without even bothering to confirm their theories, they think they know everything. Well, I'll show them that they don't know everything. Something changed, and this is causing Nickit to act out. I'm sure of it now. _Joshua found his conviction to find out what actually happened.

The group passed by a Breeder who was busy shoveling some hay. Looking out of the corner of his eyes, he turned and smiled at the kids. "Hey," he called, "what'cha three doing today?"

"Oh, Claude, we're trying to find people who Nickit stole from to see when it started and if they noticed something." Billy Bob answered.

"Now, that's some dedication and love for Pokemon. You three never cease to amaze me. But, just so you know, that mate nicked some berries from me seven months ago. I was given' it to my Linoone who just had a cluster of eggs hatch, and Nickit right and stole it from me. I didn't mind though 'cause she was lookin' mighty thin. I thought she got a clutch of her own, so I let it slide. Pokemon mothers always look for the good stuff when their young'uns are just born." Claude said.

"Now that I think about it, she was hanging out with that Arcanine who visited for about a week with its trainer. They were near inseparable and she would skip patrolling to hang out with him and walk around town." Stacey said.

"Let's see… so we theorize she might have a clutch, huh? I think we have enough for a hypothesis." Joshua said. "I hypothesize that Nickit was stealing the food for her litter. Her being so thin was proof that she was struggling to eat at the same time. Earlier in that time frame, she met an Arcanine that seemed to like to play with. But, we're still missing a vital piece of information. Why was Nickit acting weird around Dubwool?"

"Ah, Skwovet might know! He is Nickit's best friend and is always the first one to run to her aid! Plus, he's the one who was supposed to fetch her when it was time to patrol the area!" Billy Bob offered.

"Alright, let's go see what he has to say. We should hopefully get a complete answer after that." Joshua said as the trio lead him down the path, waving goodbye to Claude. They continued onto an abandoned barn deep within the town where wild Pokemon took refuge. A group of Wooloo milled about, as per usual in this town, a few Nickit played with a stick, while Blipbug luxuriated on the barn roof, and a Purrloin laid about, taking in the sun. No one seemed lived around here, so it made sense why Pokemon would want to take up residency here.

As the children arrived, the wild Pokemon seemed to notice their presence, but they continued to longue about without a care in the world. Instead, they continued to mill about, and some Purrloin even gave a little greeting to the trio by waving their tails slowly.

The trio stopped in front of the tree and Billy Bob cupped his hands over his mouth before yelling. "Hey, Skwovet, we need you!" he shouted, startling a family of Rookidee and causing them to flutter out of the tree. Their heavy wing beats filled the air as they moved to a nearby tree. Joshua noticed one hovering above the group, but he didn't think much of it.

For a moment, there was no answer, but soon, a cute little Skwovet popped its head out of the tree.

"Skwo?" it asked as it jumped from one limb to a lower limb and cupped its swollen cheeks cutely.

"We want to know why Nickit has been acting so strange. Do you know anything?" Stacey asked.

"Vet! Skwo!" it cried as it leaped from the tree and landed in front of the trio and Joshua. It briefly tilted his head at Joshua. It seemed to be in a little bit of a daze as it smiled at him cutely. But, it soon widened its eyes as if it realized something, squeaked, and rushed off.

_It seems a little slow on the uptake… I wonder if we can really trust thing… _Joshua noted as he broke into a heavy jog to follow after it. The trio also raced behind him to follow their friend

They rushed back down the path, passed Claude, and all the way back to Ms. Savage's yard. Without skipping a beat, Skwovet dashed passed the gate and made a sharp turn to go further back in her garden.

Screeching to a sudden halt, the little Pokemon stopped in front of a rotten fence pane. The pane was slanted, and it created a hole big enough for a small Pokemon like Nickit to enter. Lifting the fence pane with its paw, the rodent shoved itself through the hole, easily slipping through the gap.

As three friends and Joshua caught up, they stopped in front of the fence to catch their breath. Joshua's legs wobbled underneath him, and he leaned up against the white fence to catch his breath. Every inch of his body felt like it was burning, and his chest felt like it was going to give in on him. Placing his shaky hands on his pounding chest, he tried to steady his breathing, which only made his mouth feel as if he had just swallowed some sand. The trio weren't in any better shape, and they also were paused, trying to catch their breath.

Skwovet poked its head out of the fence in confusion, seemingly wonder what was taking them so long. It tilted its head, and just as it was about to say something, a low roar shook the air. Everyone froze as the sound sent a primal shock of fear through them.

"Woooooo!" it cried again. Skwovet's fur arched and its ears became erect as even the dim-witted creature had enough instinct to be afraid.

In a sudden flurry of panic, the little creature scrambled out of the hole. It tripped onto the ground as it placed its tail over its face and used its paws to cover its eyes. A loud, dull thud emitted from the paling as a very solid Pokemon hit it, and the children screamed as it dislodged tiny wooden shards from the fence.

"Woooo!" the Pokemon cried again, headbutting the wood and causing the rotten pane to tumble to the ground with a low thump. Through the hole, a Dubwool was lowering its head, and bleating threateningly as it slowly shook its head. Raking its hoof against the ground, it prepared to charge forward again.

Joshua lost all feeling of tiredness, as he quickly focused on finding a way out of this situation before the Dubwool came charging through the whole fence. Scanning the area, he decided that the nearby trees were their best escape route, since the vegetation would slow the charging Dubwool down. As he prepared to bolt into the wooded area, he noticed the kids were frozen in place. Their eyes were glued to the fence, and they were shivering.

"Come on! Head for the trees!" Joshua ordered, startling the kids out of their daze. Without having to be told a second time, the trio dashed into the safety of the trees as the fence creaked under the weight of the beast bowling into it again. Joshua made sure the kids were far enough away before he grabbed the cowering Skwovet. As the beast slammed itself against the wooden paling again, Joshua rushed off, leaving the crazed Pokemon behind.

The beast let out one last bellow before everything quieted down. Joshua stopped his mad dash when he was sure that the beast had calmed down from its frenzy. Slowing down to a light jaunt, Joshua found the children sitting next to a tree, rather winded from their second run.

"Skwovet, why did you take us to Dubwool? Does Dubwool have something to do with Nickit?" Greg asked. With a nod, Skwovet shimmied out of Joshua hands and waddled close to the kids with a serious look on his face. Meanwhile, Joshua leaned against a tree to steady himself after such a scare. He had no idea that Dubwool could be so fierce!

"Vet!" Skwovet cried as it puffed its fur up, giving it a rather fluffy appearance. Joshua blinked, and unsure of what the Pokemon was doing, but the children seemed to know. They seemed to concentrate on the Skovet.

"Dubwool!" Stacey guessed, getting an affirmative nod from Skwovet. _Ah, they're using charades to communicate. That make sense. _Joshua deduced as he watched. With a twitchy, jerky movement, Skwovet picked up a stick, quickly checking both directions, before diving into a nearby bramble. Poking its head of the vegetation, it looked over at the kids expectantly. Joshua narrowed his eyes in confusion as he tried to guess what it was, but Billy Bob beat him to it.

"Steal?" Billy Bob offered, with Skwovet giving another nod. Hopping out of the undergrowth, Skwovet stood on four legs and turned its ears to the side before slowly creeping forward. It slowly swept its tail across the ground, kicking a huge cloud of dirt up.

"Nickit!" the children all called out. The kids seemed to have a delighted face, maybe because they already knew what this certain action meant. Skwovet squeaked in joy and bounced up and down, celebrating the kids' victory. Standing straight up, Skwovet placed his paws over his head and swept his tail inward. To Joshua, he looked sort of like he was imitating the sun, but if that was the case, Joshua figured that it was place its tail along its back.

"Circle?" Stacey predicted. Skwovet rapidly shook its head.

"Ummm, berry!" Billy Bob called out. Again, Skwovet shook it head.

"Maybe he wants us to catch Dubwool, since he's imitating a Pokeball?" Greg suggested, only for Skwovet to squeak in annoyance. Sighing in disaster, Skovet tried a different approach. It slowly opened its paws and poked its head out with wide eyes, while clutching onto its own tail. Joshua couldn't help but think how cute it was. Putting the fact, it had apparently come out of something, and was looking cute, Joshua assumed that it was pretending to be a baby Pokemon. Which meant, the previous word had to be the thing newborn Pokemon came from.

"Egg?" Joshua guessed, and Skwovet vigorously nodded. "Wait, so Dubwool stole Nickit's eggs?!"

"That must be why Dubwool was so aggressive and why it didn't want us in the yard. It must be hiding Nickit's baby. We've got to save them!" Greg blurted out. Joshua had calmed down a little and surveyed the kids. Even thought they were still tired from all that running; they all had a determined look in their eyes. Since he was the oldest among them, not by much, he was the one responsible for helping them.

"Alright, I think I've got a-" before Joshua could even finish getting the words out of his mouth, a screech of pain erupted from where they came. A heartbeat afterwards, the Dubwool gave its now infamous charging bleat and a woman screaming in shock.

* * *

**Addition tidbit: The Star Festival is here because the tale of Jirachi is so prevalent in this universe. Due to Jirachi's presence in the universe, the festival honoring the love story of Vega and Altair was easier to adapt into multiple cultures. And as such, the Star Festival is a much bigger deal in this universe than ours. Which is why Galar, a region based off Europe, celebrates a festival that is only really in Asia. In Galar, it is celebrated on July 7, which is a little after the opening ceremonies.**


	4. Chapter 3: Down the Nickit Hole

Chapter 3: Down the Nickit Hole

"That's Nickit's scream!" Stacey shouted as she charged back to the fence. The two boys and Joshua followed suit. Because his feet were longer, Joshua easily outpaced the children and Skwovet kept up with Joshua, gliding across the emerald-green grass.

"Please, stop it Dubwool! Why are you acting like this?!" Ms. Savage called out. But, soon after, she let out a surprised cry. _I hope Dubwool isn't acting out again… _Joshua hoped as he arrived at the fence. The fence was now in shambles as the panes were thrown skewed on the ground. Joshua looked over the mess, surprised at how much damage a Pokémon could do. As Joshua stood Looking up, Joshua saw Dubwool dive for Nickit as it made a beeline for the house. With its massive horns, Dubwool delivered a hard, decisive blow to Nickit's side and sent the little creature sprawling onto the lawn grass. The Nickit let out a pained screech as it hit the ground.

Joshua watched with bated breath as Ms. Savage put herself between the aggressive Dubwool and Nickit. Scrambling to its paws, Nickit, watched the Dubwool with wide eyes and bared teeth. Sharp whines permeated the air the Pokémon stared each other down.

When Ms. Savage finally caught sight of the kids and Joshua, she tried to wave them off.

"Kids! Stay back and don't come any closer! Dubwool is acting out and I don't need you guys getting hurt!" Ms. Savage warned.

"Not without rescuing the baby Nickit! They need our help!" Billy Bob said as he rushed towards raised house.

His sudden movement caused Dubwool to give a low bleat, before shifting her weight and aiming her lowered head at the young boy. Racking her hoof across the ground, she stirred up a cloud dust and charged at him with a vicious Headbutt.

Nickit gave a warning, but surprisingly, it was Skwovet who took charge. With a defiant cry, he flew across the grass and bowled into Dubwool with tremendous power, knocking her to the ground.

Not even fazed by the commotion around him, Billy Bob crouched near the house and peered under it. The cries from the babies grew softer, and instead, they became soft chirps. Reaching under the house, Dubwool gave a protective grunt before rising to her feet. She aimed her horns at Stacy and Greg, who had stayed just outside the yard. Joshua saw their eyes widen with fear, but before he could respond, Skwovet had already put himself in between the Dubwool and the two little children.

Ms. Savage took this delay, to leave the injured Nickit, and run straight towards Billy Bob to get him. Joshua took a deep breath and went towards the injured Nickit to help it. As he did, he wearily kept an eye on the action going on.

Skwovet faced Dubwool with bared teeth and a wide stance. Dubwool rose to its feet and lowered its head, preparing for another attack. Without warning, Dubwool charged, sending a mass of dirt and grass into the air. With a defiant breathy hiss, Skwovet stood his ground, and waved its massive tail about rapidly. _Come at me, you stupid, bumbling lug! I'll take ya!_ Joshua imagined the Skwovet was saying. Its bravery, and frankly, overconfidence amazed Joshua.

But, instead of hitting into Skwovet, Dubwool simply jumped over it and headed straight for where Billy Bob and Ms. Savage was. In an effort to stop Dubwool, Skwovet chased after it, only to be kicked away by Dubwool's powerful legs. Grunting as it hit the floor, Skwovet quickly recover, and gave a taunting call before bolting out the yard. Clearly, its efforts to entice Dubwool to follow failed.

Gritting her teeth, Ms. Savage unhooked a Pokeball from her waist and tossed it into the air.

A white light erupted from its center and a Pokémon that Joshua had never encountered before soon took form. The Pokémon was a brown mole-like creature with markings that looked like gaping wounds and claws that were reminiscent of a pointy shovel. It had sharp blades in the middle of its claws and similar claw like structure on its head, which was very reminiscent of a hood.

The Pokémon glared at Dubwool who stopped in its tracks, returning the fiery glare. Neither Pokémon broke their gaze as they tried to make the other one submit. But, neither Pokémon was willing to submit to the other.

"Excadrill, Drill Run!" Ms. Savage ordered. The new Pokémon grunted and leapt into the air. Clasping its claws together, it spun about rapidly, basically turning itself into a mini tornado, and headed straight towards Dubwool.

Dubwool bellowed as it turned around, and kicked its legs up, hitting Excadrill with a swift, hard kick. The impact was enough to redirect Excadrill away, and send it flying across the yard. It hit the ground with a dull, yet painful sounding, thud. Readjusting itself, Dubwool aimed its horn at the little boy who fell to the ground as he stared directly at the Pokémon. His eyes were round with horror as Dubwool slowly stepped closer to him.

Ms. Savage kept her eyes on Dubwool as she picked up Billy Bob, who made no attempt to get away. Joshua watched as Dubwool raked its hoof against the ground, and snorted. Backing up slightly, Ms. Savage seemingly spotted an opportunity to escape, because when Dubwool lowered its head again, she ran.

Stopping herself short of running into the house, Dubwool turned and watched as its owner left. She scanned the area, before kneeling and giving little comforting calls towards the noisy Nickit kits. Joshua felt a pang of sympathy as Dubwool obviously tried to console the babies. She had just wanted to protect the baby Nickit under it care. A noisy grunt came from behind Joshua, and he looked behind him to see Nickit was struggling to its feet.

Joshua flinched as he heard Dubwool give a cold cry and turned around to see it staring at him from across the yard. It obviously wasn't happy that Nickit was still around, and the noisy chattering from the kits wasn't helping to sooth anyone.

Joshua looked to where Stacey and Greg were last, and he saw that they were gone. He figured that Ms. Savage had probably helped to lead them away.

_Well, it seems like I'm going to need to be creative about this…_ Joshua thought as he wearily watched Dubwool. Joshua finally noticed that Excadrill had risen to its feet, and it was now staring at both Joshua and Dubwool. Just from the way it was looking, Joshua could tell that it was a stubborn Pokémon who would not easily be commanded. It was waiting for Joshua to make the first move.

For now, his goal was to protect the mother Nickit and get her outside the fence. From the way Dubwool was acting, the babies would be safe with her. The mother Nickit, on the other hand, was seen a threat that Dubwool wanted gone. With a sharp breath, Joshua broke eye contact with Dubwool and turned all his focus to Excadrill.

They made eye contact, and Excadrill stared at him. Joshua lowered his gaze in an act to beg, no, _plead_, with the Pokémon. He knew it was going to take both their skill sets to even get away. His smarts as a human and its power as a Pokémon. In a silent gesture, Excadrill gave a silent snort and fixed its gaze on Dubwool. Joshua gave a small smile, and also turned his gaze and thoughts towards Dubwool.

"I need you, Rotophone." Joshua said, and his phone flew out his pocket.

Without even being told, it displayed Excadrill's moves. A wide array of moves appeared on his phone, which slightly confused Joshua.

Normally Pokémon could only use four moves in a battle. He had watched countless battles, and had even had practice battles at school, and they could only use four moves.

But, it suddenly dawned on him that this was a manufactured rule by the Pokémon League. His dad had once remarked on how in his battle career, he had a battle to defend his honor. In that battle, Joshua counted the moves his dad used when he retold the story. He remembered that one Pokémon had used five moves, and when Joshua asked how, he simply remarked that it wasn't a battle that was sanctioned by the Pokémon League.

_Okay, so Pokémon do know more than four moves! They just can't use more then four in a battle. _Joshua thought as he glanced through the list. As he did, a single move caught his eye. It was the perfect move for an escape. With a brief nod, the phone flew back into his pocket, and he turned back to Excadrill with a burning look of determination.

"Okay, Dig!" Joshua ordered.

Silently, the Excadrill leapt into the air and turned itself into a mini drill again. It crashed into the ground, sending a shower of dirt and debris flying, and opened up a deep hole.

Startled by the sudden movement, Dubwool snorted and backed away from the hole. It steadied itself before it locked eyes on Joshua and the mother Nickit. These two were the only problem in its territory now, and it aimed to get them out. Raking its hoof against the ground, it charged forward, ready to gore Joshua. Joshua inhaled slightly as he tightened his body, ready to jump either away or onto the raging beast.

As the Dubwool got closer, Joshua made a decision to jump on its back to protect the weak Nickit behind him. Without any hesitation, he threw himself on the Pokémon's back and grabbed onto its fur.

"Wool!" it cried with unbridle rage as it tried to buck Joshua off. Joshua grunted as the rough ride jolted him all over the place, with his arm repeatedly hitting his jaw, causing both to ache. His bag tumbled across his back, and to his surprise, it shook. He suddenly remembered that Dreepy had been resting in his bag since he left the train.

"Dreep!" a muffled disgruntle cry arose from the sports bag.

_I'm rather gobsmacked that little Pokémon could sleep through all this commotion! How did it not wake up from the racket? _Joshua wondered as Dreepy gently floated out of the bag and onto his head. Giving its usual calm face, it stuck its tongue and watched Joshua carefully.

"Do you mind helping me? I need you to protect the Nickit children." Joshua hissed, as the Dubwool continue its mad frenzy of bucking.

Dreepy simply yawned and rubbed its right eye with its fin before looking over at the place where the Nickit kits were crying softly from. Giving a playful smile, Dreepy took off like a lightning bolt and hovered over the house. One kit let out a yelp of surprise, which cause Dubwool to stand still with its legs splayed apart, and to grunt.

Taking the precious few seconds this allotted him, Joshua turned himself around and grabbed onto Dubwool's horns. Raking its hoof across the ground, it took aim at the Dreepy and raced forward.

"Oh no you don't! We're going this way!" Joshua yelled as he pulled the horns to the right, causing it to veer off course and just miss Dreepy as it squeaked and ducked under the house.

_That was really close! _Joshua clung onto Dubwool's horn for dear life as it kicked its hind legs out, trying to loosen his grip.

"Dubwool!" it cried, running and wildly kicking.

It reared up on its hind legs and attempted to shake Joshua off that way. But, it didn't count on how heavy Joshua was, and it tumbled over onto its side, scrambling and kick wildly in attempt to right itself. With all its flailing, its sharp hoof caught on Joshua's jean leg and created a gash. Joshua let out an excruciating scream as blood began to a tide of crimson began to pool around the wound.

Finally righting itself, Joshua still clinging on it began to run wildly. Tiredness began to claim Joshua's feeling in his hands, and he felt himself begin to slip off. His holds on the horn became weaker, and Dubwool sensed it. It wildly hopped about, kicking its legs, and was moving towards the direction Nickit was. Nickit squeaked a little and tried to rise, but it soon collapsed back into a tired heap. It was too exhausted to move from it spot.

"Dreepy, please –" before Joshua could finish his sentence, Dreepy sprung into action and darted towards Nickit. Quicker than his eye could follow, Dreepy zoomed in front of the Wooloo, and flew Nickit out of its path. Dubwool let out a surprised _bah_ before skidding to a halt, jolting Joshua from back and caused him to fall on his side, with his back facing Dubwool.

"Woo…" a threating rumble came from Dubwool as Joshua head its hoof moving. Joshua wanted to run. To escape. But, his body was bogged down with fear and fatigue. His body wasn't responding to anything he was trying to say. He was screaming at his body to move, but it refused.

The hooves got closer, slowly. He could hear them plod closer. They made the grass lightly crunch beneath the hoof. Its hot breath soon on the back of his neck, and Joshua couldn't even suppress a shiver from wracking his body. It was small, but it was noticeable to the Dubwool.

A cry sounded from far away, and Joshua could hear soft paws coming over to Dubwool. Cute and tiny yips sounded and soon, Joshua felt warm, and fluffy fur on the back of his neck. Joshua let out a silent sigh of relief, as the baby Nickit distracted the Dubwool as Joshua finally forced himself to lift himself into a sitting position.

But, as he did, a hole opened up right in front of him. Excadrill popped it head out the hole, grumbling a little as he did. Fighting back the ache in his body, Joshua managed to get closer to the hole without drawing Dubwool irate. Excadrill snorted and disappeared inside the hole. Joshua blinked, a little surprised by this action, until a sudden force hit into his back and push him into the hole.

Thankfully, Excadrill caught him before he hit the ground. Looking up, Joshua spotted Dreepy floating about with its signature goofy grin. _I can't wait to get rid of that little creatine… _Joshua thought miserably as the little creature picked up the ragged Nickit and dropped it on his lap.

"Alright, do you mind looking after the kits and Dubwool, Dreepy?" Joshua asked. With a nod, and a goofy salute, Dreepy darted off.

Cradling Nickit, Joshua climbed out of Excadrill's claws and rested against the wall of the cave to steady himself. His whole body ached, and he aimed to get his good footing back. After a few moments, he felt himself getting some strength back. Looking at Excadrill, he caught it peering at him curiously. When it noticed Joshua's gaze, it turned around, pointed at the tunnel that it had dug.

"Drill." Excadrill said as it walked down the tunnel.

Joshua followed closely behind as he put his unused hand on the tunnel. Soon, the light from above faded away and the inky blackness gradually filled his sight. Joshua closed his eyes to keep himself from panicking from the narrow walls and dark space. He flinched as the close wall scrapped up against his shoulder, but he kept walking, using Excadrill's footsteps as a guide.

They continued to walk through the tunnel until he heard Excadrill's steps stop. Joshua stopped as soon as he heard the footstep stop and opened his eyes. Light shown down from a hole that was in front of them. It slowly flooded into the cavern that Excadrill dug.

Slowly wrapping both arms around Nickit, Joshua moved over to the entrance, squinting his eyes as he came closer to the painfully bright sunlight.

"Oh, thank Calyrex you're alive. I was worried that something had happened to you." Ms. Savage said as she poked her head over the hole.

Looking up, Joshua just gave a rather sheepish grin.

"Yeah, I managed. I was able to get away from Dubwool with only a scratch," Joshua admitted. The cut on his leg only stung a little bit, so it hadn't been as bad as he expected.

"Well, don't just stay down there," Ms. Savage gestured with her hand for him to come, "get up here."

Nodding, Joshua used his shoulders to manipulate the bag that was hanging on his back to swing across to his chest. Nickit groaned a little as Joshua carefully opened the bag without dropping her and placed her in the back. Quickly zippering it up, he fixed it back on his back. Excadrill bent down and Joshua used his back as a stepstool to crawl out the hole. As he scrambled to get a foothold, he caused loose dirt to come loose, and he heard Excadrill grumble in annoyance. Soon, the signature sound of a Pokémon shaking off its fur echoed through the hole. Finish removing the dirt from his fur, Exadrill leapt out the hole with ease, and sat beside Ms. Savage.

"Great, now that you're out of that hole, I can scold you!" Ms. Savage began, a frown etched into her face

"Young man, you are quite possibly the most reckless person I've met. And I've met a lot of people! No one I knew would _ever_ dream of jumping onto a charging Dubwool's back! Those horns are powerful enough to shatter bone! Even Hop, who once went a roof to jump into a bed of hay with Eugen and Freya that was below them, has more sense!" Joshua flinched under her critical words. He didn't like being compared to Eugen at all but being compared to Eugene doing something stupid was a different kind of pain. But, Ms. Savage soon turn the frown into a begrudging smile of respect.

"Yet, I've never met someone Excadrill readily trusts either. Excadrill is my most stubborn Pokémon, and one who takes pride in the fact he won't let anyone boss him around. The dear always seems to try to one up me, except when the situation is extremely dire, and I really need his help. So, the fact he not only helped, but listened, amazed me."

"All I told him to do was Dig… He did the rest of the work himself," Joshua admitted, looking over at Excadrill to silently say thank you. As he turned his head to speak to the trio, he noticed them staring up at him with adoring eyes. Joshua gave a shy smile under the pressure and wonder why they were giving him such a cute look.

"Ummm, you were super cool over there, Joshua! While we were leaving, we stayed close to make sure you were safe, and the way you handle Dubwool was so cool! The way you jumped on its back was something just out of a movie!" Greg exclaimed.

"And it's not to be replicated!" Ms. Savage snapped, causing Greg and Joshua to shrink a little. "That was a moment of tension and would normally be a very stupid idea. Even then it was a very stupid idea! I don't want to see none of ya'll do it again!" Ms. Savage scolded, sending a fierce glare towards the three children and Joshua. The heat from her sharp look was enough to make everyone recoil and become silent with remorse. With a sigh, Ms. Savage turned her attention towards where the town was.

"Anyways, I need to have Dubwool removed. I'll call Nurse Joy, and she'll-"

Before Ms. Savage could finish, Joshua blurted out, "No, you can't! Dubwool just misses its babies!"

"Misses her babies? Dubwool is a Pokémon who hasn't seen her babies since they hatched. She can't possibly be acting out because she _misses_ her babies." she replied indigently. "I think you're being way too naive. Pokémon don't feel in the same way we do."

"How else would you explain her acting out? She wasn't territorial before her children were taken away, but she is now, right? It makes sense that she misses her baby since she took Nickit's children and tried to raise them as their own. Are you just going to ignore the fact that your Pokémon is suffering?" Joshua challenged as he looked Ms. Savage in the eye.

Joshua's heart was pounding. This was the first time he had ever stood up to an adult. To him, their word was always sacred to him, and to go against it was something he could never bear to.

But, this time, he had to do something. He couldn't just allow a Pokémon to suffer because of his inaction. In order to protect the suffering Pokémon, he had to stand up to Ms. Savage, no matter what. Even if it meant displeasing her.

Ms. Savage held her gaze, her eyes searching his. After a few tense moments, she finally sighed and broke eye contact.

"Alright, I'll allow the Wooloo to visit her. But, if she's still violent, she will have to go with Nurse Joy. Do we have a deal young man?" Ms. Savage asked. Joshua glanced at the kids. Stacey seemed a little nervous, playing with dress. While Greg and Billy Bob were both staring at him with pleading eyes.

"We have a deal, Ms. Savage," Joshua said, nodding his head. "I just want to do everything possible to resolve this without too much pain. And, I can't help but think of how those Wooloo must feel being separated from their mom..."

Joshua's mind drifted to his mom. He hadn't seen her in at least two years and his heart ached to see her again. Ms. Savage must have seen a pained look on her face, because her demeanor softened, as did her voice.

"You know, you remind me of a trainer from long ago. When teaching him advance battle techniques, I always found his methods of going easy on his opponent unorthodox. But, then I found out that he did that as a way to hide his guilt for hurting another trainer's Pokémon so badly that he injured the poor thing's foot. You're not around your mom too much, are you?" Ms. Savage asked, her voice almost as gentle as his mom's.

Joshua's face began to sting as he forced himself to hold back his tears. He didn't have time to be crying or to be feeling remorseful about his mom being absent in his life. Joshua simply nodded his head as he tried not to cry.

"Well, I'm sure she's proud of you. After all, it's not every day that someone comes to help some kids out and then tries to help a Pokémon who is the one who started the problem. Most people don't see a charging Pokémon and think it's misunderstood." Ms. Savage observed.

"That's only because I knew what happened… I would be just as judgmental if I saw it charging at me with no context," Joshua acknowledged.

"Okay, that's fair enough. Now, Joshua, I need you to watch these kids while I go to Mr. Barker and retrieve the Wooloo. Whatever you do, don't go back into the yard. Excadrill, watch them as well." And with that, Ms. Savage walked off. The kids sat down to wait for Ms. Savage return, and Excadrill carefully guarded them, its eyes locked on the distant, broken fence.

Stacy began to slowly bite her nails, while her brothers both played in the dirt to pass the time. Taking this time to get relaxed, Joshua plopped himself down and placed his sports bag on the ground gently. He could see that Nickit was still rested, as the thick fabric followed its movements as the Nickit recovered.

Minutes passed by as the group sat before Joshua's bag began to shake vigorously.

Joshua unzipped his bag fully so Nickit could exit it, and the little Pokémon immediately hopped out of his bag. Shaking itself, it scanned its surrounds for a moment before baring its teeth at Joshua. It stepped in front of the trio, and a vicious growl rose in its throat. Stacy was the first to reach out and pet its head to calm the little Pokémon.

"Nickit, it's okay. Joshua is here to help you get your babies back." Stacy cooed, causing Nickit to cease her growling and look at Stacey blankly. "We know how much you're hurting with Dubwool causing you so much misery, but we're here to help."

Nickit glanced between both Joshua and Stacey before she shook her body and turned towards the destroyed fence. _Oh, not again! All she needs to do is stay and this will be fixed!_ Joshua thought as Nickit's body stiffened. In an instant, she was off, and Greg yelled after her.

"Nickit! Come back!"

Skwovet finally popped his head out from a tree that was next to where everyone was sitting and scuttled down the tree. It pointed to itself proudly while sweeping its tail back and forth.

"Skwo! Wo! Skwovet!" it said proudly.

Excadrill made a grunt of acknowledgement and began to dash after Nickit. Joshua assumed that Skovet was saying he had everything under control. So, trusting him, Joshua just nodded and turned to speak to the kids, who seemed worried.

"Alright, you three, stay here and I'll get Nickit back." Joshua explained as he grabbed his bag. Before the three could voice their objections, Joshua already sped off.

Soon he came upon Nickit staring down Dubwool, even though it was obviously weaker. Nickit's fur was bristling in a threat display as it gave a warning yip.

Gritting his teeth, Joshua knew that this match was close to hopeless. Dubwool had not taken a single attack, while both Excadrill and Nickit had taken some heavy damage. But, since Nickit wasn't going to stop until her kits were safe, Joshua was going to do his best to support her in that endeavor. Dubwool gave a massive bellow, causing Joshua to slightly flinch, but stand his ground.

"Nii!" the same baby Nickit from cried as it popped it head out from the side of the Dubwool. Its attention was on its mom, and the joy in its eyes were on full display. Giving a comforting _bah_, Dubwool tried to nudge the little baby back, but it evaded the gentle nuzzle, and playfully swiped back at Dubwool's snout.

The mother Nickit gave a loud warning snarl as it crouched, ready to attack the Dubwool. Blocking the baby from view with its fluffy body, Dubwool lowered its head ready to charge. Before Joshua could even call out for the older Nickit to stop, it charged at Dubwool, a white aura beginning to form around it as it sped up.

_That's Quick Attack!_ Joshua realized as Nickit flew directly at the Dubwool, who lowered its cranium and caught the weak attack head on. With a snort, Dubwool reared its head up and brought it down on the little Nickit with a white aura covering it, causing it to cry in pain. And then it swung its massive head, knocking the mother Nickit away.

_And that was a savage Headbutt…._ Joshua realized as the Nickit landed a near a tree. It didn't even twitch when it landed. In fact, it had stopped moving! Taking a closer look, Joshua checked for breath, and found that its chest was still rising.

_She's just fainted, thankfully…_ Joshua thought in relief, but that feeling didn't last long. The little baby Nickit came scampering over towards its downed mother, letting out a high-pitched wail.

Dubwool gave a surprised bleat and sprinted after it, which only frightened the little baby even more. The Nickit turned around on its heel, and gave a warning cry, telling Dubwool to back off.

"Nickit!" it yowled, surprising even Joshua with its courage. He had expected Nickit to flee, or even bury its face in its mother's fur in anxiety, but, it looked like it was ready to fight the Pokémon who hurt its birth mother. Seeing this small Pokémon stand up to a bigger one, made Joshua questioned if that's how he looked to others. Some small boy standing up to things that could obviously hurt or maim him.

Dubwool stumbled back a little, confused at what to do now that the little baby it was taking care of was now standing up to it. But, it soon regained its footing and tried to move past the baby towards the mother. The little Nickit wasn't having it, and it blocked its path.

Nickit narrowed its eyes as it rose its muzzle the sky, letting out a soul burning howl. Excadrill looked stunned for a moment, but then it gave a rather wild look. Raising its snout to the sky, it let out a piercing call.

"Excadrill!" it cried.

"I don't think I've seen this move before..." Joshua muttered to himself as he counted each individual cry Nickit made. Both it and Excadrill glowed a brilliant red, and with each additional howl, they grew stronger. After the sixth and final howl, the glows died down and both Pokémon seemed eager to battle the Dubwool. Getting the message, Joshua stared back at Dubwool who still seemed dumbfounded.

"Alright, get that Dubwool away from the Nickit! Excadrill, use Brick Break!" Joshua ordered, and with loud roar, it charged forward, its claws growing a brilliant silver. With only a few moments to respond, Dubwool whirled around and caught the claws with its massive horns. It flinched after taking the very hard hit, but it stood its ground and its fur began to glow orange. Using its head, Dubwool was able to toss Excadrill back with enough force to hit the fence and the mole Pokémon hit the ground with a harsh thud. Excadrill eyes closed, and even from where Joshua was standing, he could see the signs that it was unable to move for a while.

Joshua watched as Dubwool took a wobbly step towards him, clearly weakened, but still itching for a fight.

The little Nickit growled and rushed in front of Joshua, its hackles raising as it prepared to fight. Dubwool was on shaky breaths as it rushed forward, clearly aiming on jumping over Nickit and hitting Joshua in the chest with a Headbutt.

Nickit stood its ground and waved its tail, ready to attack. It waited for an order as it kept it eyes on the charging Dubwool.

"Okay, finish this with a Quick Attack!" Joshua ordered and without hesitation the Nickit charged forward. A white aura gathered around it as it slammed itself into Dubwool's chest, knocking it back and sending it sprawling onto its back. It laid there, unconscious. Joshua couldn't tell if it had fainted or if it was just recouping its energy.

Nickit snarled before rushing back over to its mother and licking her face. The mother Nickit arose and slowly got its feet, but then it collapsed again. Joshua rushed to the mom's aid to pick her up. He knew that she needed to see Nurse Joy soon, so he scooped her up in his arms.

"Kit..." it cried pitifully.

"Don't worry Nickit, we'll get you to Nurse Joy, and she'll have you feeling good as new," Joshua cooed.

As he did, he froze when he heard hoof beats thundering towards him! Evidently, Dubwool had not fainted completely yet, and it was still rearing for one last attack. Turning around, he saw the rampaging Pokémon come barreling towards him and the young Nickit. Nickit froze with fear, its whole body shaking as it tried to move. Its eyes were wide, and it softly whimpered as the Dubwool headed straight for them. Joshua didn't fear much better as he froze to his spot as well, his body failing to listen to him.

"Flygon, Steel Wing!" a familiar voice called out, and blurry green figure knocked into Dubwool, sending it sprawling across the forest floor. Joshua gulped as he realized whose voice that was and who that Flygon belonged to. Turning around, he saw Raihan who had his arm crossed and his foot slowly tapping.

"A-ah, long time no see Raihan… It's rather pleasant weather we're having here..." Joshua stuttered as the little Nickit hid behind him. It peeked out from the side of his legs at newcomer.

"Don't 'long time no see' me, mister! You're absolutely grounded for that little stunt you pulled! And then getting attacked by a Dubwool?! You sure do know how to get into a lot of trouble for such a little boy!" Raihan scolded, which caused Joshua to shrink slightly. Raihan normally bright blue eyes were raging with furry today. Just the sight of them trapped Joshua in place. He was in so much trouble because he had done a lot of bad things. Swallowing his pride, Joshua figured he might as well let his feelings be known.

"I know Raihan… I'm really, truly sorry… I was going to come back to apologize, but I got sidetracked..." Joshua shook a little as Raihan continued to stare him down. "I fully accept my punishment. But, I want to see that Dubwool is reunited with her children and I want to help Nickit get better. She got hurt really badly… as did Excadrill..."

Raihan blinked in surprise, "Really? I was fully expecting to go all strict dad on you to teach you a lesson, and you seem to already know what you did wrong. Well, I guess under those circumstances, a harsh punishment would be ineffective… But, you did run off and get into trouble, so you need some punishment..."

Raihan placed his hands on the back of his head, probably deciding on the best way to punish Joshua.

The baby Nickit slowly crawled from behind Joshua, and over to Raihan. The little Pokémon cautiously sniffed at his shoe, and when it was satisfied that he wasn't going to attack it, it took a hold of his laces with little teeth and pulled at them. Joshua couldn't suppress a chuckle as Nickit tried to wrestle with Raihan's laces.

"Woah, woah! You don't want to do that little one!" Raihan chuckled, picking up the little Nickit. It cried out in frustration as it was taken away from its source of fun. "Seems you found a curious little Pokémon."

"Actually, that's a still a wild Pokémon Raihan. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if Joshua here decided to capture it, but that's a different discussion," a voice said. Turning to face the source, Joshua saw Ms. Savage with a man he had never seen before. He was short, had a long, curly mustache, and seemed to be quite older than Ms. Savage. "This is Mr. Baker. He's the one who adopted the Wooloo."

"Yes, I was worried that being weaned off their mother so young might be traumatic. But, I figured that Pokémon didn't care about that stuff and took them anyways. I regret my decision now… and I wish to allow the Wooloo to see their mother until both grow too old to need each other," Mr. Baker announced as he unlatched three Pokeballs from his belt and tossed them forward. Three Wooloo emerged from their Pokeball and surveyed their surroundings.

"Hey, Laburina, I didn't know that you were living here now. You'd think a mentor would call every once in a while to check up on their favorite student," Raihan said ruefully. "Maybe then you would know that Joshua was my cousin."

Ms. Savage rolled her eyes. "Ah, yes, everything is now clicking together. The stubbornness, the unwavering kindness towards Pokémon, the unshakable trouble making behavior! I should have immediately guessed that he was your cousin!"

The two were interrupted by a panic _bah _as the Wooloo finally noticed their unconscious mother. Ms. Savage casually walked over to it and pulled a Revive out of her pocket. She opened its mouth and placed the yellow diamond into it.

"Loo..." it muttered, as its eyes flitted opened and slowly rose to its feet. Its eyes widen as it saw its little children crying and nuzzling her wool. With what seemed to be a smile, the Dubwool nuzzled all of her children and licked their faces tenderly.

"Ah, it seems you were right Joshua. I haven't seen her with such a peaceful look in ages!" Glancing over at the Nickit in Joshua's arms, Ms. Savage made her way over to him.

"Anyways, deary, you can give mama Nickit to me and I'll take care of her. A Revive, plenty of Oran Berries, and some rest will have her fully recovered in no time. And, as an apologize, I'll even adopt her and her little kits," Ms. Savage said as she gently took the mother Nickit from Joshua's arms. "Raihan, you should be proud of your cousin. He's growing up to be a good lad. Maybe a bit reckless, but you weren't much better in your youth. I remember that one time, you snuck out with Leon and Sonia to watch the firework in the Wild Area, and when you came back, you were all dirty and your clothes were all in tatters! I just can't believe that you three got into so much trouble that night!"

"I know, I know! You've already read me the riot act that night. Gah, remembering the night I had to clean the _whole_ Gym, even the pitch. It still sends shivers down my spine, even to this day..." Raihan grimaced a little, obviously not liking that punishment at all.

"Well, I hope that you'll let Joshua go on his journey still," Ms. Savage glanced at the baby Nickit in Raihan's hand with a meaningful look. "Who knows. Maybe he found a partner that matches him in the amount of gusto he has."

"Nick!" Nickit cried cheerfully, as he looked at Joshua with big, expectant eyes. Leaping out of Raihan's grip, it sat in front of Joshua and wagged its tail.

"Can I capture it, please Raihan? It can be my starter, so you don't need to make a whole speech about how a trainer with no Pokémon can't capture one!" Joshua pleaded, clasping his hands together. Raihan shifted slightly from the uncomfortable, begging look that Joshua was giving, but he was not going to relent. After a few seconds of silence, Raihan sighed and gave a defeated look.

"Fine, you can catch it with the Premier Ball your sister gave you as a gift, but you're still not allowed to be a trainer for two more days. That's part one of my punishment. So, that means, you're not going to immediately get Nickit. You'll have to pick it from the lineup of three other Pokémon, with two other trainers picking their starter. The second part of your punishment is that you have to write a 500-word apology letter to Eugene. If you agree to those terms, you can capture Nickit."

"That's fair. I'll get to work on that letter as soon as we get home, and I can wait two days. Although… I'm not sure how I feel about Nickit maybe not being my starter… but, I have trust that we'll be together for a long time!" Joshua exclaimed, and gave Nickit a nod. The little fox squealed with delight as it crouched down, ready to be captured.

Quickly taking his new Premier Ball out of his bag, he aimed it at the Nickit. When he was ready, he narrowed his eyes, and lobbed the ball at Nickit. Nickit chirped and jumped into the air to intercept the ball, since Joshua had been a bit off in his aim. As the ball hit the little fox in the chest, it opened up and absorbed into a reddish-purple light. The ball shook three times, before it settled down and hollow sound was emitted and the button turned green, letting everyone know Nickit was captured.

XxXxXxX

The sun began to set by time Raihan, and Joshua had said their goodbyes to everyone. The Quirky Quintet, now the Obtuse Octet thanks to Nickit's kids joining the squad, were all now reunited, and Joshua had plans to see them tomorrow as 8:00 AM at the library for a scavenger hunt. Joshua had retrieved Dreepy from the yard, and then he left Postwick with Raihan.

The two walked down the road, Joshua grinning ear-to-ear at the thought of now having a Pokémon, even though Raihan had it for safe keeping. As they continued to walk down the route, Joshua paused as he heard a faint Pokémon call from overhead.

Raihan immediately put his hand on his Flygon's Pokeball and looked up to see if there was a threat. Joshua looked up as well, and instead of seeing a Flying-Type Pokémon, a feather softly floated down from above. Catching in his hand, Joshua examined it.

The jet-black feather caught the light in an odd way. It was an iridescent feather that reflected the setting sun. So, depending on the angle that Joshua turned it, the feather glowed various shades of orange as well. But, something else caught Joshua's eyes.

It was the tuft of fuzzy feathers at the bottom of the feather. Just before the edge of the stem, was this red fuzz with some even having black bands on the red fuzz. Touching it, he expected it to feel like any other fuzz, soft and easily to bend. But, instead, he found it was a little more rigid then most down, and it felt more akin to the undercoat of fuzzy Pokémon.

"I wonder what it belongs to..." Joshua muttered as he slid his finger along the bottom edge of the rigid feather. The bristles were tough, and they felt as if something strong was reinforcing them.

"Well, we can always give it to Hop to examine. He could use the practice in identifying different kinds of Pokémon. I'll have him look into it tomorrow, and then he can get it back to you when you see him for your first Pokémon," Raihan said as he took the feather from Joshua.

_I'm pretty sure that's fur and not downy …. If it is, the feather couldn't have some from something that flies, obviously. But, I don't know of a single Pokémon that has both fur and feathers. Case Study would have covered it by now, I think. _Joshua began to go through the possibilities. _Maybe it's a hybrid Pokémon; either man-made or through natural breeding. If it was through natural breeding, the feather probably belonged to a Corviknight that passed by. So, the Corviknight would have needed to have a parent that was in the Field Egg Group, I believe those are the ones that mainly have fur. _Joshua tried to wrack his brain around what could possibly produce the feather, but nothing was really sticking out. He was not an expert in the Egg Group. Besides, something just felt off about the feather to Joshua. It felt… a bit different from anything Joshua had ever seen. Even non-purebred Pokémon kept most of their body features such as feathers and fur. _I wonder if it's man-made. Maybe someone stitched Pokemon together. Like a Thievul and Corviknight._ Joshua mused.

* * *

**Additional Tidbit: The black bands on the red fur, is a reference to the agouti gene [which it wouldn't be called in this fanfic due to the agouti being a real-life rodent. The gene would most likely be referred to as the Sentret gene in-universe]. The agouti gene is what gives animals color variation in their fur and feathers. It leads to different shades in animals' pelts, stripes, and spots. Humans have an agouti gene, but it doesn't code for striped hair. In this fanfic, it does code for striped hair in humans, but it's recessive and only a very small population of people have the gene anymore [about 2%, about the same percentage for green eyes]. In certain populations, it's more common [about 5%, about the same amount of people have hazel/ amber eyes].**


	5. Chapter 4: A New Start

**A/N: Finally, getting somewhere besides introducing character dynamics! The team finally meets, the starters are obtained, and it's the first real battle! Which means the next chapter should be the battle, catching more Pokémon, and everyone saying their goodbyes. And finally starting the journey proper.**

* * *

Chapter 4: A New Start

Joshua sighed heavily as he sat at a table in the library. It was ten o'clock, and he had missed the time for the scavenger hunt, because he left the house at nine o'clock.

He silently cursed his dyscalculia. It has always been a problem he had tried to mitigate, but sometimes it would come up in the worst ways. Like, having trouble reading clocks, or being slower in math than his peers. Now he was stuck at the library, with nothing to do.

All the other kids in the library were busy with their own things. Most children were reading chapter books silently to themselves, although others were reading picture books and admiring the illustrations. A few were doing work that obviously wasn't for school, since it was summer.

On the second floor of the children section of the library were where the computers were. All the computers were full of children playing games or doing work or looking up information. Joshua could hear their busy clicks from all the way on the ground level. Joshua laid his head down on his arms, staring at nothing in particular.

_I could read a book, but that would involve finding something I like. _Joshua mused as he glanced over at the bookshelf. To his surprise, he spotted a girl from his primary school. She used to sit next to him in Third Grade, and they got along decently well.

The person was a chubby and curvy girl with long white hair and bright green eyes. She wore a white shirt with black, fluffy trim around the neck and arm area. The logo on her shirt was a stylized Frosmoth in one half of a circle and a stylized Stonjourner in the other half. Her pants were made a blue fabric material with large snowflakes on them.

The person who was talking to his classmate was about the same height as Joshua and had blond hair with bright blue eyes. He wore a baggy green shirt with khaki pants. Although the boy was talking to Joshua's classmate, he wore a bored expression. He wasn't focused on her, and he obviously wasn't taking much stock in whatever she was saying.

_Hmph! What a hotshot! He gets to meet the daughter of Melony, and that's his reaction? Most people would be begging to meet her. _Joshua thought bitterly as he got up to say hello to his classmate. She should be around people who actually _cared_ what she was saying.

But, as he made his way over to them, he heard a loud, feminine yell from the staircase as he passed by.

"Look out!"

It was too late, the person crashed into him and they were both sent tumbling to the floor. Grunting, Joshua waited for the girl to get off of him, as she squashed him with her weight.

"Oh, I am so sorry! I've been going through a growth spurt lately, and ever since then, I've been such a klutz… I just can't seem to find my foot," the girl explained as rolled off of Joshua. Picking himself up, Joshua turned to see the girl who fell on him. She gave him a sheepish, yet innocent, grin as she dusted herself off. Looking at her smile, Joshua noticed that she was missing a canine.

The girl had black hair with dark red stripes that ran through it and cotton candy pink eyes. She was wearing a floral pattern sundress and black slip-on dress shoes.

"Names Noiritta Daiku, I'm pleased to meet ya!" she said.

"Joshua Cornwall. The pleasure is all mine," Joshua said politely. Even though he was a little grumpy she fell on him, he wouldn't hold it against her. He was just glad she wasn't hurt.

"Hey, were you going to talk to Affray? 'Cause, I was just on my way over there as well."

"Who's that?" Joshua gave her a puzzled look. This was the second time he had heard the name.

"The prodigy. Don't tell me you've never heard Affray Audely! Brightest mind of our generation?"

"Well, since he wasn't on _Case Study_, no. So, what's this guy's deal?"

"He's the son of a very rich baron, and he's incredibly smart. Like I said, some call him the brightest mind of our generation. He is going to be going to year 10, having skipped all of key stage 3 and going straight to key stage 4. There are rumors that while doing key stage 4, he'll also be doing some college classes. So, he decided to do the minor league this year, because his birthday fell in the middle of the major league, and he doesn't want to put the league off until he graduated. Oh, and once he finishes high school, he going to attempt to get into the best medical school. He's already studying for the UCAT, and with his brain, he'd ace it. Also, he is a very pretty good fighter I heard."

"Oh, I see. He's just another rich, smart person. I bet most of that is just an exaggeration."

"Oh, he's not just rich and smart, but also kind! He's doing all this to find a cure for his sick brother, so he is absolutely amazing. I head, he'd give anything, even his life to cure his brother. Don't you think that's just amazing?"

Before Joshua could answer, another voice entered the conversation.

"Joshua, what are you doing here? I thought Raihan was giving you a Pokémon at home." the voice said.

Turning around, Joshua saw the classmate from before, and the boy was seemingly begrudgingly following her. His eyes didn't lock onto anything specifically, obviously he didn't care about any of this.

"Oh, no, I'm going to the lab in two days. Are you one of the people who's also going?" Joshua asked.

"Wait, you're going to get a Pokémon from the lab?" the other boy asked, his lips turning into a disgusted sneer. "I guess they give anyone those now."

Joshua clenched his fist and gave a near animalistic snarl. "What's that supposed to mean?! I deserve that Pokémon just as much as anyone!"

"No, you don't. Those Pokémon are only for those who have skills and talent. From what I heard, you have no skill or talent. You can't do basic arithmetic, you almost flunked out of key stage 2 due to your low math score, you're rash and get into trouble, and you're unable to follow direct orders. Does that sound like someone deserving of a Pokémon to you, because it doesn't to me. It sounds like your connections and dumb luck got you this far."

"Dumb luck? I'll show you dumb luck! When we get our Pokémon, I'll beat you in a battle with my partner!" Joshua threatened. He was boiling over with anger at the nerve of this person. Even if he wasn't the best at math, or anything to do with numbers, he was getting better. Obviously, the meaning of hard work and grit never penetrated this kid's brain.

"Now, now, boys, let's not get heated. What matters is we're going to get our Pokémon in a day, and that's super exciting. Affray, Joshua is a very hard worker and tries his best. I've seen him help injured Pokémon daily, and he is the first one to cry and share in a person's inner feelings when they feel hurt. He's such a kind and sensitive soul. Joshua, Affray is just being critical. Why don't you show him your strengths and set him straight? Maybe we can play a game to show him what you are good at." Joshua's classmate suggested.

"Actually, I think I know the perfect game we can play. I was looking to play it with someone here, but everyone else in the library said no…. So, since we're looking for a game to play now, how about we play Cheat? That ought to settle this," the black-haired girl piped in.

"Cheat?" all three echoed, staring at her. Joshua was clueless as to what that game was. He was more used to War and Go Fish; the games of choice at his primary school, and his side lessons.

"Oh, yes, it's simple. The object of the game is to lie. Starting from Ace and going up, we each place cards face down on the table, say what we put down, and how many we put down. The catch is, we can lie about what we put down. For example, say I put down two 2s, and the next person put down three 3s. If I have two 3s in my hand, I know they're cheating, since there's only four 3s in any given deck, and I would call 'cheat!' The challenger has to reveal the newly placed cards that were put face down, and if challengee is lying, they take the pile. If not, the challenger does. The first one to have all the cards loses." Noiritta explained.

"Oh, that sounds simple and really fun! It's like a game of outplaying everyone!" Joshua said, giving a toothy grin.

"I guess I can play. It will kill time, and then I can go back to studying. I still have to calculate my average walk speed to see what's the most efficient route is in the Wild Area." Affray said, stifling a sigh. Noiritta just gave him a baffled look, but whatever her question was, she just let it go in favor of playing her game.

"Right, by the way, I'm Noiritta. I don't think anyone, but Joshua knew my name. It's nice to meet you all!"

"My name Daphne. If Joshua ever calls me Daffodil, ignore it. He's bad with names and faces. He knows who I am, but wow is he bad with ever call me the right name."

All four children sat at an empty table, and quietly began to set up the game. Noiritta took out a pack of cards from her pocket and began to deal out the cards.

Joshua stared at his cards intensely, trying to think of a strategy. Should he tell the truth immediately, or throw everyone else by lying? Lying first was low risk. But, what if they suspected him of doing that? He narrowed his eyes, watching his opponents.

He has never won a game about deceit with his classmate. She could _always_ tell when he was lying. _Ah, I'll use that to my advantage. I'll make it look like I'm lying, and she'll call me out on it! _Joshua decided as Noiritta finish dealing out the cards.

"Oh, can we play with this?" Daphene asked as she took a pretty, pink holographic business card out of her pocket. It had a cute Skitty on the west side of the card, and a Bunneary on the east side. At the top of the card was a Yamper chasing its tail above the words.

Even from just glancing at it, Joshua could tell it was from the cute Kitty and Bunny cafe. Each cafe had a different cute Pokémon theme, and the staff dressed up as the Pokémon. The business cards were also unique to each region and cafe, with Galar getting the pink card. The location would be signified by the Pokemon above the logo. So, a Yamper meant that this was gotten from the Turffield location. If you had no idea which location had which Pokemon theme, it was always in the lower bottom half of the card. Joshua had known some kids who loved to collect all of them, and whose goal was to collect every single variation of the business cards.

In Joshua's hometown, the theme was Indeedee, so the waiters and waitresses would always have on cute Indeedee horns and tails and their outfits were even modeled after Indeedee. He always loved the Indeedee themed treats, especially the cute cupcakes. Another thing Joshua liked was playing with the Indeedee that walked around the restaurant.

_Maybe when I go to Hammerlocke I can visit it._ Joshua mused.

Daphne placed the card in front of Noiritta. "It's so we know the turn order. I find it's better to have visual aids to keep from getting confused."

"Oh, sure! I often get confused with turn orders in games. Oh, and if I may comment on the card, the Yamper ice cream at the Turffield location is so delicious. It comes into your mouth a little sour, like lighting, but not too sour, but then it melts into a smooth, rich, texture that super sweet! When I went to Turrfield with my mum to watch a match, we stopped over there, and I couldn't believe they had a Yamper trained to take the orders from its human and give it to the chef. And I even got to play with one of the Yamper. It always such a beautiful experience to go to Kitty and Bunny!" Noiritta squealed as she looked through her cards. She picked up two cards and placed them face down.

"I put down two aces!"

Moving the card clockwise to Affray, he simply just looked through his pile of cards. "Kitty and Bunny isn't even that great. The person who runs it – I put down one 2 – is just using fancy tricks to draw people in. All it is cuteness and sweets. I think I'll pass on that." Affray moved the card to Joshua. Joshua hovered over his cards as he decided which two to pick. 3s were one of the easier numbers to identify, unlike 5 and 2 which looked similar to him. 9 and 8 were the worst, and whenever he had to do work, he would constantly get them confused.

"I think it's wonderful. Their sweets are so delicious, and you can just see how much love and care they put into each one. Each one is made specifically for you. The dedication to keeping in character is defiantly something to be admired and – I place down two 3s – and the costumes are so cute and lifelike. Their ears and tails even twitch!" Joshua argued. Out of the corner of his eye, Joshua could see that Daphne was studying him.

In order to deter her, he just kept his body facing towards Affray since he was talking to him. If Daphne caught a look at his face, she would immediately tell he was bluffing. So, he nonchalantly passed the card over to her, while still keeping his position facing away from her. Giving up, Daphne simply took the card.

"Well, I'm looking forward to going there too. My brother, Gordie, the one who brought me, promised to take me to the one in this town. Hey, Joshua perhaps – I place down two 4s – you can come as well. Melissa would love to have a special teatime with Gordie, and I heard a rumor from my big brother that she's in town to meet Raihan to get her starter. So, maybe all five of us can have a delicious afternoon right before we have to leave town?" Daphne smiled as she passed on the card.

"Oh, yeah, I'd love to go see Raihan fail to impress Melissa! Add Melissa's crush into the mix, and it's sure to be a fun night!" Joshua said.

Joshua and everyone continued to play with Affray eventually trying to call Joshua's bluff when he put down three 3s, but Joshua really did put down three, since he had lied earlier. Affray begrudgingly took the pile, but he didn't even acknowledge that he was outplayed by Joshua. The game went until noon, where Affray ended up being the winner, and Noiritta ended up being the loser.

"Well, that took longer than expected, but it was a close back and forth match! I hope to see you three at the lab in a day!" Noiritta piped up.

"A day? You're getting a Pokémon as well?" Affray questioned.

"Yup, me mum and dad work to make replica suits of armor from Jangamo-o scales that are shed naturally. So, sometimes they work with Raihan since he is the Dragon Gym Leader, and last time he visited, he promised to give me a starter. He told me to meet him at the lab at 1:00 PM." Noiritta said.

"I guess we're all getting our Pokémon at the same time." Joshua said. "Well, I'll see you all tomorrow."

With that, everyone split and went their separate ways. Joshua decided to go home, so he exited the library and walked down the paved road of Wedgehurst. As he did, he could help, but notice all the people setting up their storefronts for the Star Festival. A variety of pictured were hung outside. On a flagpole was a young girl traversing the stars. The flagpole opposite to it had the picture of a young man doing the same. Hanging between the pole was a banner of Jirachi watching the two from a cloud with a sad look on its face. Every time this year Jirachi would connect the bridge of stars so that the two star-crossed lovers would meet.

People were putting up trees where people could put their wishing tags on them, so that Jirachi could see them. There was a rumor that Jirachi would come around pick which wish to grant. Sometimes it was for mundane things, like a new toy car a child desperately wanted. Other times, it was a big wish, like for someone to see a loved one that they got separated from. There never seemed to be a rhyme or reason to what Jirachi granted, just that he would always grant wishes that suited it. It was a fickle creature who did whatever it pleased.

Joshua looked up to see if he could maybe spot something in the sky that looked like Jirahci. He peered up and focused on the vast blue sky as Rookidee and various other Flying-type Pokemon soared by. No matter how hard he looked, there was nothing that looked like a star in the sky. Shaking his head, Joshua continued to walk and decided to just make a wish on the tree. He already had the perfect wish.

_I will wish to have the best journey ever and show that cheating Eugene whose boss! I'll avenge Leon and I'll cement myself as the best trainer to ever live! With Nickit by my side, no one can stop me._ Joshua vowed as he walked forward, ready to overcome every trial.

!*~*~*~*~*!

"I'm finally getting my Pokémon! Come on Raihan, use your Hustle ability!" Joshua exclaimed as he dashed ahead of Raihan. He wanted to get to the lab first, before everyone else. Then, he could at least claim that the first one there got to pick first!

"Woah, pace yourself Joshua. The Pokémon are still going to be there at 1. Take a breath and relax." Raihan warned good-naturedly. Raihan was giving Lilac a piggyback ride, who had wanted to tag along so that she could see Joshua off. Even though he officially left tomorrow, he still wanted to catch some Pokémon in the surrounding area. He had already planned his whole team out, and two Pokemon that he needed were near by.

"It's pointless. He's not going to listen to you. He's too excited." Lilac muttered as she watched her brother continue to quickly walk, boarding on running, towards the lab. He had stopped running, but he was still determined to make it there before the everyone else.

Soon, they reached a two-story house that painted a very light purple. It had a faded Pokéball above the mahogany door, and a vivid purple tilted roof. Attached to it was green house with vines growing on it. In fact, the front of the house had vines growing on its front of it as well.

"This is the Pokémon Lab? It looks so plain." Joshua commented as he studied the building. Next to the one-story brick houses, it stood out. But, put it next to buildings like the ones he has seen in the big cities, and it was just a simple house. He was expecting a glass dome or something square-like. Something that screamed this is a lab.

"Yes, Professor Sonia, Professor Magnolia, and Hop all work here. Professor Sonia specializes in Galar History, while Hop… umm… well… he actually just started, so he doesn't specialize in anything. Professor Magnolia specializes in Dynamax Pokémon, and their effects, but she's not here right now. She went to a science conference in Kalos that's being headed by Doctor Fennel." Raihan explained as he opened the door. When he did, two familiar voice came from the side room. Joshua immediately recognized them as Hop and Sonia.

"What did Professor Cedric Juniper say, Hop?"

"He said the feather was something unlike anything he's ever seen before. I second that. It's a Corviknight feather, but it's covers in a PBI. That's a substance that only Fire-Type Pokémon are supposed to have... It's what allows for Fire-Type Pokémon to cover themselves in fire without burning their fur, feathers, or scales. So, a Steel-Type like Corviknight shouldn't have that on its feathers..."

"Hmmm… You told gran about it, right? Did she have any input?"

"She told me to give the feather back to Joshua who should have Raiju look it over. Professor Magnolia also said I should go with Joshua, just in case."

"Well, we're all going to Motostoke anyways, so we'll be able to meet up with Raiju off the pitch. Luckily, he can't just skip it since he is the third Gym Leader this season. He's a little like Volkner where if he can skip out on a meeting, he will. So- Oh, when did you three arrive?"

Sonia was passing by the door with a whole stack of papers, her Yamper barking cheerfully at the new arrivals. She seemed a little surprised that the three of them had arrived early, but she quickly recovered and placed the papers on a nearby table.

"We weren't expecting you until 1, so we weren't exactly prepared to see you. You see, gran is gone, and so, we're taking over the research for everything. Thankfully there isn't a backlog, but with the feather Joshua found, we put everything on halt to look at it. But, we came up empty handed. We sequenced some of its DNA and found that it matched both Arcanine and Corviknight. Unfortunately, there was no Farfetch'd between them, which made it even more baffling. If it was naturally occurring, Farfetch'd would have to be the intermediate between those two. We search for signs of a feather mutation, but that came up empty because there was none. So, we asked gran for her input, and she said to go meet with Raiju," Sonia explained.

Joshua couldn't help but feel a little proud that the feather he found was so special. But, now, he wanted to know what it was and where it came from.

"Raiju? Doesn't he specialize in myth in his free time? Myths like Werewolves and Harpies? What does a feather have to do with whatever he specializes in?" Raihan asked, a little exasperated.

"He does indeed research myths outside of Legendary Pokémon, but those are inherently not true. Although, you're forgetting one little detail. Raiju also specializes in unique traits of Pokémon. But, to be fair, he's more a hobbyist than a scientist. Hey, Hop, maybe Gran is subtly suggesting you look into that? After all, Pokémon husbandry is still an emerging field and we still aren't 100% sure how traits, besides attacks, are passed down." Sonia called out.

"Oh, yeah, I almost forgot Professor Magnolia doesn't hold back on finding paths for people," Hop said sarcastically. "At least it's better than how she told you to go on a journey to look into the history of Galar. Well, I guess doing field work is better than being cooped up in a lab all day…."

Coming from the side room, Hop emerged with his white coat all lop-sided. Joshua noted the fact Hop didn't look like he had gotten a good night's sleep. He couldn't help but wonder if this feather was really that exciting. If so, he wanted to know the truth about it even more.

"Alright, Eugene and Freya should be here soon since they're picking up Daphne and Affray. I already gave Nickit the clean bill of health, it passed its temperament test, and it's at the appropriate power level to be considered an official starter. Same for Dreepy and the rest. Although… I question Eugene's choice on his starter pick, but hey, he went all out and breed it with its hidden ability and an Egg move, so it's at least a fantastic Pokémon. In the meantime, let's have some tea." Hop suggested.

Everyone nodded and moved into the side room to have some tea. Sonia poured everyone a cup of some hot tea, pouring her own last. Sitting down to join the others, Sonia sat close to Raihan, and the two began to have a side discussion that Joshua couldn't quite make out. Sighing with content, he found himself a nice, cozy place against the wall, and he allowed his thoughts to drift off.

Joshua marveled at the lab. It truly was beautiful how the organic plant life fit in with the cold, hard technology. Usually, people were drawn to one or the other, but Joshua had always found beauty in both. Plants and nature gave life, while technology enhanced it. The best example he could think of to exemplify this was the Power Spots. They had given life to the region of Galar, but now, they needed help so neither Galar nor the wonderful anomaly of Dynamaxing would die out. Joshua was sure that with more research into the Power Spots, people could find a way with technology to fix the power crisis and restore Power Spots to their natural glory.

Sipping his sweet tea leisurely, he continued to watch the leaves of the flowers sway back and forth. He was knocked out of his trance when he heard the door squeak open and he turned his head to see who it was. To his surprise, it was Noiritta who arrived next.

She had no one else with her, and now she was wearing an outfit that was much more fit for traveling. He hair was done up in a ponytail, and she had navy blue jeans and wore a short sleeve shirt that had a Noivern guarding a horde of fruit as if it was precious gold. She wore blue and white sneakers as well, and had a bright pink traveling bag.

"Ah, perfect timing Noiritta, we were just drinking some tea! Join us," Raihan waved her over, and with a shy smile, Noiritta walked over.

"Oh, hey Raihan. Hello Joshua. It's a pleasure to see you here again," Noiritta said smoothly as she took a seat beside Joshua, taking her bag off.

"Likewise, Noiritta. Are you excited to be getting your first Pokémon?" Joshua asked.

"Raihan, they're talking like old people… I think Joshua finally found his weird match friend person," Lilac said a little mockingly. Joshua rolled his eyes, and playfully swiped at the back his sister's head. He actually connected lightly, but that just made her give a mock cry and hide behind Raihan. "Raihan, Joshua hit me!"

"Joshua don't hit your sister," Raihan said flatly as he continued to drink his tea.

"Tattletale…" Joshua muttered, and shot his sister a sideways glare. Out of the side of his eye, he caught Noiritta stifling a chuckle. "What are you laughing for?"

"You and your sister are quite adorable. I never really had a little sibling to tease me and play with me, so I kind of always envy these sorts of family dynamics. At the farm where I grew up, the only living creature I ever played with were Jangamo-o, and they don't like playing normal games. They like to battle. A lot. So, of course, I was always dragged into referee the battle," Noiritta said.

"Speaking of your family, where's yours? I would expect your mum and dad to walk you to the lab today," Raihan questioned.

"They went to a conference headed by the historical preservation society. Usually I would go with them, but they didn't want me to miss my first Pokémon, so I had to come here al-" before she could finish, Lilac interrupted her.

"Great! Then you can come over and have a sleepover with us! Since you're here by yourself, it would only make sense that you could come over. Can she come over? Please Raihan?" Lilac begged as she gave Raihan a puppy-dog look.

"Yeah, sure. She can even come with us for desert at the Kitty and Bunny Cafe, if she wants. I'm supposed to be looking after her while her folks are out of town anyways," Raihan rubbed Lilac's head, making her chuckle gleefully.

"Oh, I would love to come over! I've never had a sleepover though! Nor indoor play dates. Nor have I actually been over at anyone's house… Actually, this is all so new for me… Oh no, what if I do something wrong..." with a slightly nervous look, Noiritta looked over towards Raihan, but Joshua noticed it was actually slightly to his right. Raihan just gave a comforting nod, almost as if saying everything would be fine. Nodding slightly, Noiritta turned her gaze back to Joshua and smiled. "Alright, I think I can manage though, even if this is all new."

Joshua couldn't help but stare blankly at her. In a manner of seconds, she went from being nervous about the whole ordeal to becoming oddly calm. Feeling his curiosity get the better of him, he began to wonder if she still had an imaginary friend. Joshua had one when he was younger, of course he knew it wasn't real, but having someone to talk to when he was upset always helped to sooth his emotions. Maybe the same was happening here.

"Who's next to Raihan?" he whispered.

"His Fylgja. I've been able to see and talk to them ever since an accident that happened to me when I was little. That one is named Flitter, and he takes the form of an Incineroar. Incineroar are known to be a little extreme, feed off the crowd's attention, get fired up when fighting strong opponents, and love the attention of kids and young Pokémon. From what I've seen, minus the violent nature, Raihan reminds me exactly of an Incineroar. The only Pokemon I can think of that can match him is maybe Volbeat. They always like to share in a little attention. Especially from Illumise," Noiritta whispered back.

"Fylgja? They can talk? I thought they just represented someone in dreams."

"It's a tad more complicated than that, but they basically are their own entity that are connected to people. They're born in a different dimension and are able to link up with people in the dream world. I met them a long time ago, but I was sworn to secrecy."

"Sounds… complicated. So, they're individual beings that everyone has a link to, and they can only be met in the dream world? That raises a lot of questions. Like, why are they born looking like Pokémon instead of humans? Why does everyone have one? Why are they linked to certain people? When a human is born, are they born at the same time? Do they even have parents? Are their population and ours the same? Why do they choose to protect us?"

"I-I don't know the answer to any of those questions. Well, except why they look like Pokémon. They're a part of the myths Raiju studies, and all those monsters are shapeshifters. I don't know about the other myths existing, but I saw these ones for my own eyes. It's possible the others might exist, but I highly doubt that. It's more likely that someone saw multiple Fylgja, and just made up stories based on those Fylgja. So, those Werewolves? They were probably a Lyconroc Dusk forme Fylgja that turned into a human before someone's eyes. It's likely all of those myths just originated from Fylgja. The Fylgja's special power is the ability to take the form of the Pokémon that represents the person they're linked to. Of course, they do have a true form that's not that a Pokémon, but I don't know what it is."

"I see… So what form is my Fylgja taking since you can see it?"

"Well..."

Before she could tell Joshua, the door opened again and Eugene, Affray, Daphne, and a girl Joshua had never seen before entered the lab. Glancing up at the clock, it was just one minute to 1:00 PM. Joshua quickly gulped down his tea, having lost interest in what his Fylgja was. He'd eventually find out anyways when he went to the Wild Area to sleep by The Gateway Lake.

"Well, it seems like we're all set. I'll get the Pokémon ready!" Hop said before rushing to the other side of the lab to finish preparations, his lab coat still in a disarray.

Joshua couldn't help but watch Eugene and the new girl. He still wasn't too thrilled about Eugene, but he guessed the new girl was the Freya the adults and Hop were talking about. So, he wanted to know more about her and her relationship to the others.

Affray and Daphne were having a little hushed conversation that couldn't pick up on, but Joshua picked up on Eugene's conversation loud and clear.

"Hey, Freya, do you want to bet on who will pick who. My money is on Affray picking my Pokémon. I think it suits him perfectly," Eugene cooed.

"Uh, I don't know. Your Pokémon is a little unpredictable. I mean, I don't even know why you thought that would be a good starter Pokémon. You could have picked a non-Galar Pokémon, but _no_, you _had_ to pick a Pokémon from Galar..." the girl bemoaned, rolling her eyes. She had bright pink hair and deep hazel eyes. She wore a long pink dress and black dress shoes.

Eugene waved her concern off. "It's fine. It's a powerful Pokémon, and Hop said it had a good temperament for an official starter. Besides, I breed it for compatibility, so the quirks of its species nature should be minimized. I bred it with the friendliest Raichu possible as a dad and socialized it with others as soon as it hatched."

"In other words, you basically are conducting an experiment to see if you can breed a friendly nature in one generation. Ladies and gentlemen let's see how this blows up today," Freya remarked sarcastically.

Eugene shot her a glare, but Hop came back before he could give her a retort.

"Okay, everything is set up. You can bring the children over." Hop said, motioning for the others to follow. Excitedly, Noiritta hurried after Hop. Affray and Daphne follows along with Eugene and Freya, while Joshua lagged behind them all. He wasn't excited to be in the same room as Affray, again. It didn't take long for Sonia to notice that she was even getting there before Joshua.

"Nervous?" Sonia asked, as she looked back at Joshua.

He just shook his head. "No, I just want to get this over with."

Hop stood in front of a long wood table with three Premier Balls on them, each one in their shrunken down form. The fourth Pokémon was kept in a Quick Ball. Hop cleared his throat as he looked at the people in front of him.

"Noiritta, Joshua, Affray, and Daphne, you're all about to embark on a new journey. The Gym Challenge is something that will push you to your limits. Even if it is just the minor league, the battles ahead of you won't be easy. And you'll need skill and determination to make it through the battles. But, you'll also need to trust in the partners that you'll be receiving today. They're all looking forward to meeting their new trainers, so let's get to it!" Hop said with a grin. Picking up one Premier Ball, he casually tossed it into the air, and it shot out a bright white light. From the light emerged a Nickit, the very same one that Joshua caught.

Joshua couldn't help but smile as Nickit focused its attention on him, giving him a knowing smile.

The next Pokémon that Hop released was a Clobbopus. It looked over at Freya in confusion, but then it focused on the kids. It narrowed its eyes in scrutiny, almost as if _it_ was mulling over who would be the best trainer for it. Joshua knew Clobbopus were smarter than most, so there was always a possibility that if a trainer didn't impress it, it might just reject the trainer.

The final Premier Ball held a Hatenna. Joshua couldn't help but notice as Daphne froze in place. Joshua couldn't help but feel pity for her because the rumors about Hatenna and its evolution line were honestly horrifying.

But, this Hatenna just seemed to be confused, as it tilted its head. It gave a small coo as it waddled over to Daphne, looking up at her. Using part of its hair, it curiously touched her shoe, which just spooked Daphne even more. Letting out a little squeal of terror, she darted behind Affray to hide. Instead of giving his normal disdainful look, Affray gave a more sympathetic look as he watched the Hatenna tilt its head in confusion.

"It's okay, Daphene. She seems like she's curious about you. Hatenna isn't showing its normal stress behaviors, so I don't think she has her species' aggression towards emotions," Affray observed. He gently picked up the Pokémon and patted it on the head. The little Pokémon began to coo as Affray continued to stroke its blue hair. "It's not going to hate you, Daphne."

"A-are you sure? I heard they're quite vicious..." Daphne murmured. She looked at the Pokemon as it watched her from beneath its long hair. With a long breath, Daphne closed her eyes, and reached out her unsteady hand. Hatenna twitched its antenna as she got closer, seemingly curious about how she would perceive it. Soon, her hand connected with the Pokemon's temple, and she began to move her hand in slow, uneven strokes. Slowly opening her eyes, Daphne watched as the Pokemon bowed its head, allowing her to pet it.

"Hatenna!" it cried joyfully.

"I think it likes you Daphne. Maybe it wants to be your partner?" Affray suggested. He placed the Hatenna and it ran to Daphne's leg, nuzzling up against her bright blue pants. With a long pause, Daphne let out a heavy breath.

"Oh, how could I say no to that…. It's still a little scary, but I guess I'll try my best to train it..." Daphne concluded as she picked up the Hatenna, giving a nervous smile as she did. "U-uh, I-I think t-t-the best n-name for h-her is B-Buttercup!"

"Okay, then I pick… him," Affray said, pointing at Clobbopus. Clobbopus opened its eyes wide, before nodding. It clambered over to Affray and looked up at him, its eyes still studying him. After a few moments of silence, the creature finally extended one of its arms in a welcome gesture, and Affray shook it.

"Clob, clobbo, clobbopus," it said.

"It's nice to be your partner. Let's work hard together." Affray said. "You'll probably want a name, so how about Rhubarb? It's a plant name, but it's also what actors do to make it seem as if someone is having a loud conversation. Although, in certain parts of Unova apparently, they use it to describe a heated debate."

"Ah, that would relate to your name too, Affray?" Noiritta exclaimed cheerfully, but it only earned her a glare from the young boy. She apparently didn't understand and continued. "I think it's cute to have two names that pair up so well. A name that means a heated debate and a name about a fight causing a public disturbance fits so well together!"

_I thought Affray sounded pompous and pretentious, but geeze, how much did his parents hate him to come up with a name with that meaning? _Joshua thought. _Well, at least I'm named after a king… Or, that's what my dad keeps telling me at least. I honestly have never heard of a king named Joshua. Even when I look it up, I never came across a king with that name._

To Joshua's surprise, Affray let the slight go and just rubbed Rhubarb's head. "It doesn't matter what we're named. We're going to work well together, isn't that right Rhubarb?"

"Clobbo, clob, clobbo!" Rubarb said, putting his arm to his forehead as a mock salute.

The last Pokémon left for Joshua was Nickit, the exact Pokémon he wanted. Without hesitation, it bolted over to him and leapt into Joshua's arms. It licked his face eagerly and whined in delight.

"Niii!" it chimed.

Joshua laughed as its ticklish tongue coated his face in saliva. "Alright, alright! I pick you, Nickit! And since we're all giving the Pokémon nicknames, I have the perfect one for you! Purswipe!"

"Purswipe? What kind of name is that?" Noiritta questioned.

"Oh, I thought of it while waiting to get Nickit. It comes from purse and swipe. Because Nickit is known for its thieving ways, and a lot of times purses are the things that are stolen, I thought Purswipe was a cool name for him," Joshua explained as he rubbed Purswipe's head.

"Actually, Nickit is a female," Hop corrected.

"Okay! Well, it's a cool name for her. And as soon as we get out of here, we're going to catch ourselves some new teammates!" Joshua exclaimed, raising his new Nickit high into the air.

"Nii, ni nickit!" Purswipe agreed.

"Really?" Affray scoffed. "I bet I can guess what Pokémon you'll two will be catching around here. It's quite obvious."

"Really? What Pokémon would that be?" Joshua challenged, bringing his Nickit closer to his chest. Purswipe hissed at Affray and raised its hackle as it glowered at Rhubarb. Rhubarb narrowed its eyes and readied a fighting stance, as it returned the fierce look.

"Why would I tell you? Then you'll just try to prove me wrong. No, I have a better idea. I'll tell Daphne what you catch. Then she can accompany you, and when you catch the Pokémon, she can tell you I was right," Affray said.

Sonia and Raihan both exchanged a concerned look, while Eugene watched curiously. Daphne sighed and held her face in her palm. Noiritta, on the other hand, had her sights on the Quick Ball that held her Pokémon.

Gritting his teeth, Joshua aimed a defiant glare directly at Affray.

"You're on! But, before that! I challenge you to a battle! I want you to be my first opponent!" Joshua ordered.

"Nickit." Purswipe said flatly, glaring at Affray.

Just as Affray opened his mouth to answer, Hop gave a little cough to interrupt the two's spat.

"Yes, yes, that's all well and good, but do you two think you can hold off on the grudge match for a little bit? Noiritta still needs to get her first Pokémon. And then I need to install the Pokédex on your phone. After all that, you two can battle outside so you don't wreck the lab," Hop said rubbing the side of his head in frustration. He was giving a nervous, tired grin, and two boys immediately tore their gazes away from each other and towards where Hop was.

"Sorry, Hop," Joshua and Affray said simultaneously.

"Alright, now for the last partner Pokémon," Hop said, taking the final ball off the table and clicking the button in the middle. From a bright blue light with yellow polka-dots, a Dreepy emerged. It gave its signature grin and floated from Pokémon to Pokémon, shaking its little green fin at them. Buttercup tilted its head at it, Purswipe purred and nuzzled its cheek, while Rhubarb just stoically nodded at it.

Finally, it floated up to Noiritta and licked her face, before giving a giggle.

"Dree eeepy!" it chortled before resting on her head, sticking its fat tongue out.

"Hmmm, I think I'll name it… Flitter!" Noiritta determined. Joshua blinked. He recognized that as the name she gave Raihan's Fylgja.

_Perhaps she just wanted to name it after Raihan's Fylgja._ Joshua figured.

"Congratulations everyone! You finally got your starters," Sonia gave a smile as she looked at everyone. She gave a gracious smile directly to Hop. "And you did wonderful for your first time, Hop. You can breathe now, by the way."

Hop exhaled loudly, seemingly not even noticing he was holding his breath. Joshua couldn't help but smile at his unease. It must be nerve-wracking giving Pokémon and advice to kids who you were barely older than. Personally, he had only had to do it once, and it was just as nerve-wracking because he had to teach math to smaller kids.

"I was breathing Sonia. And we're still not done. We still have to update their Rotophone and install the Y-Comm app. Then we'll be all done." Hop said.

"Oh, our little Hopkin is growing up! He has a lab coat and everything! I bet he helps with some really complex science experiments soon!" Freya teased.

"Yeah, next thing you'll know, he'll be growing a beard and gray hair! We'll have to call him Professor Hopkin soon!" Eugene said, joining in on the fun.

"Oh, shut it you two! I'll be more accomplished then you will be Eugene! Plus, that will be Professor Sequoia to you, since that is my last name. Anyways, I only barely lost to you Eugene, and I took down Raihan, who, mind you, is as strong as a Champion. And, Freya, I even beat you in the Championship. I think that you could at least give _some _respect. Besides, what are _you_ currently doing with your life," Hop sassed.

"Oh, yes you did, beat me Hoppykins. And to answer your question, I'm going back to school soon, so there's that. I'm going to study to be an engineer so I can help fix this energy crisis. Zacian has already approved of it, but for the time being, she wants to roam around Galar with me. I mean, it is still the summer, so I'm not opposed to it," Freya explained.

"Weird. Eternatus said he wanted to travel Galar as well. He said he wants to see what kind of people currently live here. Hey, Hop, what about Zamazenta?" Eugene questioned.

"He said he wanted me to trust my judgment. And my judgment is to watch you, Eugene. I don't trust you not to stick your nose into these kids' business," Hop said.

"Me? Oh, you wound me little Hopkin! I would never do anything to disturb a person's journey," Eugene said sarcastically.

Rolling his eyes, Hop focused his attention back on the children. "Alright, ignoring those two blokes over there, and let me update your Rotophone."

Taking the phones, he quickly took out his own phone and began to fiddle around with it. In a matter of minutes, he handed the kids back their phones.

"Okay, everything is downloaded!"

"Thank you!" all the kids said, as Hop handed the kids back their phone.

Looking at his Rotophone, there were two new apps that Hop installed. One had a picture of a very old school Pokédex and had the words "Pokédex" underneath. Next to it was person-like figure with two wi-fi bars above its head, and underneath it was the words "Y-Comm."

"Great! We're all done! And it's only," Hop glanced at the clock, "1:45. Which means you have the rest of the day to bond with your Pokémon."

"Right, and remember, the train will leave at 9:00 AM sharp at the earliest tomorrow. Its destination will be Motostoke, and Eugene and I will be leaving on that train, so don't be late. Hopefully it won't stall at the Meetup Spot this time… Ugh, that four-day trek was no fun," Freya said.

"What are you talking about, Freya? That four-day trek was so much fun! And we caught a lot of Pokémon, so I would say it was worth it!" Eugene chimed in.

Joshua walked over to Raihan, who was whispering with an air of giddiness to Sonia about something. Joshua couldn't hear, but he knew it wouldn't take long for either one to notice him, so he just waited. Sonia began to chuckle in response to something Raihan had said, before she noticed that Joshua was watching them.

"Oh, hey Joshua. Are you ready for your first battle? Actually, that reminds me that I have gift for all the new trainers. Uh, I guess I'll give it to you after your battle." Sonia said. Joshua couldn't help but grin a little at the thought of a gift. He always loved to get gift, and he wondered what kind of gift Sonia had.

"After the battle, I'm going to the Pokémon Center to meet up with Melissa and to sign you up to continue your IEP. You can come with me if you want," Raihan offered.

"I'll take you up on the seeing Melissa offer. I want to see Melissa again, since she used to be my babysitter. Although, I'm not so thrilled about this whole IEP thing. I don't need extra classes from Teacher Josie," Joshua said.

"Oh, no! You're not getting out of your classes that easily. You still need a lot of help, since you still don't know your right from left, how to read an analog clock, mix up number, and you have oh, so, many math related problems. Just take the help and do the classes every time you go to a city. I promise, it won't be that intrusive."

With a sigh, Joshua just nodded and left the lab. Soon, Affray and Rhubarb exited after him, seemingly ready to start their battle. Glancing at Purswipe, who was wrapping its paws around his arms, Joshua saw it was bristling with vigor and ready to fight whatever was in front of it. Giving a confident smile, Joshua put down his Nickit and stepped behind it, ready for a battle.

Affray just stepped behind his Clobbopus, and both boys stood ready to face each other. Their eyes locked onto each other, and Joshua could see the cold, indifference of Affray's blue eyes. He was going to make sure Affray had a battle to remember, so he couldn't look at him like that anymore!

Soon, the lab door opened, and everyone else began to file out; including Hop who were waving two shrunken Premier Balls in his fingers.

"Seems you two forgot something. You can't exactly have Pokémon without Pokéballs to keep them in. Noiritta, can you referee since you have some training in this? Your parents did send you to a referee camp one summer, right?" Hop asked as he tossed each boy their respective Premier Balls.

"Right! I can do this!" Noiritta exclaimed as she raced to be between the two boys. Looking at each one she raised both arms towards the boys. "Okay, this will be a one-on-one battle, using the official Pokemon League rules! That means four moves for this battle! Once four moves are declared, they are to be used for the rest of the battle. The battle is over once one Pokémon is unable to continue or someone forfeits! Because Nickit is the fastest species here, Joshua will get the first move! You two may now begin!"

"Alright, Purswipe Quick Attack!" Joshua ordered, and his Nickit covered herself in a white aura before beginning to zigzag, disappearing from place to another place in quick succession. It was movements were too fast for even Joshua to follow.

"Counter it with Feint, Rhubarb." Affray commanded. His Clobbopus quickly side-stepped out the way before Purswipe could land a hit on it and disappeared from views. Surprised, Purswipe let out a squeal and slid to a halt as she tried to stop herself. She rapidly began to check her surroundings for the missing Pokemon. But, Rhubarb suddenly reappeared in front of Purswipe and raised its fist.

"Jump backwards!" Joshua called when he saw Purswipe was too distracted looking to its side to notice the Clobbopus. Just as Rhubarb was about to bring its fist down, Purswipe leapt back, without even check in front of her. The fist hit the ground, narrowly missing Purswipe and sending up a pile of dust.

Nickit narrowed her eyes and crouched, ready for her next order. She kept her eyes trained on Rhubarb and bared her teeth, ready to attack. Joshua looked at Clobbopus, and then to Purswipe, wondering what to do next.

"Joshua! Did you even check its move set before sending it out?" Daphne called out, snapping his contraction.

"Uhh, not really..." Joshua said sheepishly, getting his phone out and pointing it at Nickit. A picture of a Nickit came up on his phone, and it was then that Joshua noticed that his Nickit looked slightly different. It wasn't much, but she had fluffier fur then other Nickit and her fur was a lighter red, closer to that of Arcanine's fur.

Below the picture was a wheel of potential stats and next to the wheel was its nature. Underneath the stats were Purswipe's moves. Above the Nickit picture, which was contained in a blue circle, were little moving sprites of a Nickit, on the east, with the word "dam" under it and an Arcanine, on the west, with the word "sire" under it. Next to the Aracanine's sprite was a white exclamation mark in a red circle, which signified there was some information there. Joshua decided to ignore it for now.

_Purswipe's nature is Mild, and she currently knows Howl, Quick Attack, Tail Whip, and Beat Up. Her strongest stats are Special Attack, Speed, and Special Defense, in proportion to the other stats. She also has the ability Unburden. _Joshua summed up before putting his phone away.

"Howl, then follow it up with a Quick Attack!" Joshua ordered. Purswipe darted away from Rhubarb, giving a clear, sobering howl that rattled the sill, warm air. A red aura appeared around Purswipe, but soon dissipated. On a dime, Purswipe turned around and headed back towards the Clobbopus, a white aura now surrounding her frame.

"Rhubarb! Meet it with a Rock Smash!"

Rhubarb shifted to a defensive position, waiting for Purswipe to come at it.

"Up!"

Purswipe shot upwards, and Rhubarb shifted its position to try and block any incoming blow. It angled its white glowing fist at the Purswipe's underbelly. Wiggling her tail, Purswipe aimed its body at Rhubarb's head, and in a lightning quick movement, it brought itself down on Rhubarb's head. Rhubarb didn't even make a pained noise as Purswipe crashed into it. Instead, it raised its fist and brought it directly under the Nickit's stomach. Crying in pain, Nickit was launched backwards from the super-effective hit. It hit the ground with a soft thud, and it cried out weakly.

"You know, Nickit has a weak defense stat. There's no way it can stand up to a Clobbopus's attack. Honestly, you're just hurting the poor creature," Affray said.

"Well, there's no point in just giving up! Purswipe and I will give it our all before we admit defeat! We're going to beat you and win the title as Champion together! No matter what! Come on Purswipe, let's go!" Joshua commanded.

Purswipe growled and slowly rose to its paws, roused by the fierce words from its owner. Joshua watched as it stood on its shaky legs, ready to strike again.

"Oh please. Do you really think you can win against Eugene with that Pokémon? There's nothing unique about it. It's a Route 1 Pokémon who can't really stand up too much of anything. Even the Indeedee is strong against could probably take it out without much difficulty. The Nickit species is useless in battle. They just look cute. And to prove it, Rhubarb, end this. Power-Up Punch," Affray ordered.

Rhubarb swapped its stance, and quickly charged towards Purswipe, its fist glowing a bright orange. Purswipe snarled as it hunkered down in place.

"Go behind and strike!" Joshua ordered.

Purswipe gave a cry of acknowledgement, and jumped upwards, using Rhubarb's head to get more air before turning around midair. Rhubarb paused in surprise, but that was just enough time for Purswipe. With another Quick Attack, it shot itself forward, and struck the Pokémon right in its back. Purswipe bounced off the from the impact of hitting the squishy body and slid slightly back. Rhubarb lurched forward a little but held firm.

"Feint," Affray simply said, and before Purswipe could move, Rhubarb disappeared.

"Nick?" Purswipe gasped, looking around for its opponent.

Joshua spotted Rhubarb appear behind Purswipe, but before he could say anything, Rhubarb used its fist to hit into the side of its face, sending Purswipe careening across the dirt ground, kicking up dust as it tumbled. It finally landed on its belly about a foot away. She laid painfully still as she stopped moving.

Walking closer, Noiritta crouched down beside the Nickit, watching for signs that she was unable to continue. Slowly, Noiritta rose and raised her hand towards Affray, who had his arms crossed.

"Nickit is unable to battle. The winner of this battle is Affray," Noiritta announced.

* * *

**Joshua's new Pokémon:**

**Nickit [Name: Purswipe] [Gender: Female] [Description: She has a lighter red fur, closer to that of a Growlithe or Arcanine, than most of its species, as well as slightly fluffier fur] [Sire: Arcanine] [Dam: Nickit] – Knows moves up to level 5 + Howl/ Mild nature/ Unburden ability**

**Affray's new Pokémon:**

**Clobbopus [Name: Rhubarb] [Gender: Male] [Description: Looks normal] [Sire: Grimmsnarl] [Dam: Grapplot] – Knows moves up to level 5 + Power-Up Punch and Sucker Punch/ Adamant nature/ Technician ability**

**Noiritta's new Pokémon:**

**Dreepy [Name: Flitter] [Gender: Male] [Description: Looks normal] [Sire: Milotic] [Dam: Dragapult] – Knows moves up to level 5 + Dragon Tail and Sucker Punch/ Modest nature/ Clear Body ability**

**Daphne's new Pokémon:**

**Hatenna [Name: Buttercup] [Gender: Female] [Description: Looks normal] [Sire: Raichu] [Dam: Hatterene] – Knows moves up to level 5 + Nuzzle/ Quite nature/ Magic Bounce ability**

**Additional Tidbit: Fylgja are supernatural beings from Norse mythology that are known are spiritual guides or guardians. They usually take the form of an animal, and they appear in dreams to represent people. They can appear in the waking world, but that usually is a sign of impending death. The fylgja usually represents a person's personality. A sly person would be seen as a fox or a loyal person a dog. **

**In this universe, they appear as Pokémon in dreams and the wake world, but if they do, it's an omen of death. The form the Fylgja takes is usually based off a person's personality. In very rare instances, a certain Fylgja individual is shared among a certain family and is passed down from generation to generation. In Galar, there's a tradition among the people where sometime during their lifetime, they sleep by a lake called The Gateway Lake. For some unknown reason, people see their Fylgja in their dreams and are able to talk to them when they sleep near The Gateway Lake. Some individuals are able to see Fylgja in the wake world, and even interact with them. Noiritta is one such individual.**


	6. Chapter 5: New Friends!

**Joshua's Team:**

**Nickit [Name: Purswipe] [Gender: Female] [Description: She has a lighter red fur, closer to that of a Growlithe or Arcanine, than most of her species, as well as slightly fluffier fur] [Poké Ball: Premier Ball] – Knows moves up to level 5 + Howl/ Mild nature/ Unburden ability**

**Affray's Team:**

**Clobbopus [Name: Rhubarb] [Gender: Male] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Premier Ball] – Knows moves up to level 5 + Power-Up Punch and Sucker Punch/ Adamant nature/ Technician ability**

**Noiritta's Team:**

**Dreepy [Name: Flitter] [Gender: Male] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Premier Ball]– Knows moves up to level 5 + Dragon Tail and Sucker Punch/ Modest nature/ Clear Body ability**

**Daphne's Team:**

**Hatenna [Name: Buttercup] [Gender: Female] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Premier Ball]– Knows moves up to level 5 + Nuzzle/ Quite nature/ Magic Bounce ability**

**A/N: This took such a long time to write! I hope I have the next chapter up in a timelier manner, but considering it's going to be over the course of four days, with another major event, I doubt it. Anywho, I appreciate the people who submitted their character, and I will do my best to stay true to the characters submitted. ^_^ Thank you so much! I'm still accepting people's characters, if you want to send them in.**

* * *

Chapter 5: New Friends!

Joshua watched as Nurse Joy talked to Raihan at the counter. He sat down on a Poké Ball shaped couch in the waiting room as Raihan was signing him up for his supplementary classes. Daphne sat quietly beside him since Raihan had promised to both teach them how to catch Pokémon. After the battle, Raihan had taken her and Joshua to the Pokémon Center so Joshua could heal his Pokémon, and so they could meet up with Melissa. Of course, they all still had to go back to the lab for Sonia's gifts and to make plans for tomorrow.

While Joshua was preoccupied with his thoughts, Purswipe was sniffing around the Pokémon Center, hoping to find a friend. It twitched its ears and swished its tail as it attempted to see if there was another Pokémon besides Buttercup around. Giving a groan of annoyance, Joshua crossed his arms and pouted slightly. He was sick of waiting!

"You don't be so down on yourself, Joshua. I know it's hard to lose your first battle, but, I'm sure you'll win soon. After all, with a Pokémon like Purswipe, it's impossible for you two to keep losing. You two share a really close bond," Daphne said as she tried to cheer up Joshua.

"Huh?" Joshua blinked and turned to her. "I wasn't being down on myself. I was just irritated that Raihan is taking so long to sign me up for my supplementary classes! I want to catch Pokémon! Besides, that battle was a fluke. I'll win the next battle with my new Pokémon to help out Purswipe."

Daphne gave a supportive smile, before glancing down at Buttercup. Buttercup was taking a nap on Daphne's foot, enjoying the lack of excitement in the Pokémon Center. There was no one in the Center today, mainly because there weren't many reasons to come to this town. Besides meeting Eugene and visiting the lab, there was nothing really to do here. The only way to get here was to walk through a dense forest for miles, or by train. And even when you got here, there was nothing important in the town. It was a perfect place to get away from people, and to just focus on your studies.

"Oh, yeah! I wanted to see what that exclamation mark was about on the Pokédex app!" Daphne suddenly said, as she took out her phone. Looking over her shoulder, Joshua saw her phone had her Hatenna's stats up. The dam sprite was a Hatterene and the sire sprite was a Raichu. Beside both were the exclamation mark that Joshua had seen for his Nickit's sire.

Daphne clicked on the Raichu sprite, and the screen shifted over to a picture of a Raichu sleeping in a spacious flower field. Above the picture were tabs labeled: "Bio" "Dietary Habits" "Health and Battle History" and "Notes". The "Bio" tab was already selected. Below the picture was the name Honest in italics, and the whole tab suggested that this was a description about this specific individual. Clicking the sound button next to the name, the phone began to rattle off the information below the picture.

_Nickname: Honest_

_Species: Raichu_

_Owner: Eugene_

_Gender: Male_

_Nature: Modest_

_Mark: None_

_Ribbon(s): None_

_Last Held Item: Everstone_

_Current Location: In the Day Care Center_

_Bio: Honest was caught in Rolling Fields by Eugene on January 20__th__. While not a main part of Eugene's Champion team, he was a Pokémon he often sent out to do Poké Jobs. Honest has a laid-back temperament, and he loves to nap on rocks that are exposed to the sunlight. Eugene evolved Honest with a Thunder Stone on June 9__th__._

"Oh, so, the Pokédex app keeps track of the mother and the father Pokémon, and who they belong to. I guess the reason why Nickit's mom didn't have a notice by her name was because she had no information on record," Joshua said.

"Yeah! I wonder if I can see what Buttercup's Dietary Habits are," Daphne mused as she went back to her own Pokémon profile. Joshua now noticed the same tabs were above the profile picture of Daphne's Hatenna. He clearly wasn't paying attention to the top portion of the app during the battle.

Daphne tapped on the "Dietary Habit" tab, and a picture of Pokéfood was displayed, along with some information below. Instead of allowing the phone to read the information, Daphne read through the info herself.

"Let's see… Buttercup prefers dry foods due to her Quite nature. She currently has no favorite food recorded, and the Hatenna species needs a lot of berries that help promote strong psychic abilities. Sitrus, Tamato, Payapa, and Staf Berries are commonly recommended, but Pokéfood with similar compounds or made with those berries will meet the recommendation. When making Pokéfood yourself, use fruit and berries that have a high tannin concentration. Stores sell tannin extract, so mix it into any Pokéfood you either buy or make. Buying Hatenna food mix is recommended when you first attempt to make Pokéfood. When pre-made Pokéfood is bought, make sure it's Hatenna evolution line specific, or a mix of Psychic-type and Fairy-type Pokéfood. Feed your Hatenna specialized food at least once a week. Recommended for pre-made brands are Paws-and-Claws, Mandy Maverick's Pokéfood, and Roavy. Pokémon Center have classes on how to make Pokéfood every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday at 10:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 5:00 PM," Daphne murmured to herself.

"Today is Saturday and..." Joshua glanced up at the clock, "it looks to be around 2:30ish, so maybe if we get back from catching Pokémon around 5, we can take the class, and then go to dinner with Noiritta, Gordie, Raihan, and Lilac."

"Well, that sounds like a good idea. I'll text Affray and see if he wants to come. If he does, he can bring Noiritta and we can all attend classes together. Oh, if we do this, we should download the Pokémon Center App. When we came in, there was a sign talking about it and how it has a full schedule of all upcoming classes and events. For each event you do, you get points added to your Pokémon Center App that can be redeemed for prizes. I heard that top prize might be a rare and powerful Pokémon," Daphne said as she closed out the Pokédex app to download the Pokémon Center app.

It made sense to Joshua that people who were active in Pokémon Center classes would get rare and powerful Pokémon. After all, if you were committed to the well-being of your Pokémon, you deserved a rare Pokémon. Besides, trainers sometimes bred excess rare Pokémon and surrendered them to the Pokémon Center, instead of releasing them into the wild, which was good.

It was harder for a Pokémon to find food and to know what food was good if it was raised by a human its whole life. Some Pokémon have been known to starve because of a lack of food. And it wasn't uncommon for social Pokémon to be unable to find a social group to join, especially if those Pokémon accepted family members only. It was dangerous to release Pokémon born in captivity, so the Pokémon Center had a program to teach captive-born Pokémon how to live in the wild before release. During this time, those Pokémon can be adopted from the Pokémon Center since they're also being socialized so they don't attack humans.

Joshua followed Daphne's lead and downloaded the Pokémon Center app. As the app began to download, Joshua heard heavy footsteps coming towards the pair. Looking up, Joshua saw that the footsteps belonged to Raihan. He was giving his usual sunny smile and waved lazily at the two. Joshua returned the wave.

"Yo, Raihan, are we done here?" Joshua asked as he picked up Purswipe, who was trying to squeeze herself under the waiting couch. Whimpering in defiance, Purswipe tucked her paws in and laid limp, which let Joshua carry her around more easily.

"Yeah, Melissa texted me and she should be here in about five minutes. She went to the train station to pick up Leon, who decided to drop by today." Raihan rolled his eyes at the end of his sentence. "Sometimes, I think he does things just to irritate me. He knows I like Melissa, yet instead of visiting his brother Hop, he decides to tag along with me to help me catch Melissa's first Pokémon. He doesn't need to come. He can do any number of things in Wedgehurst, but no, he decides to tag along to 'help' me."

"Leon is coming over?" Joshua asked, not even bothering to contain the excitement in his voice. Raihan gave him a sharp glare, but it didn't deter Joshua from smiling.

"Can my cousin please side with me over Leon for something?! Come on Joshua, I'm much cooler than Leon and I'm your cousin! You never get this excited to see me," Raihan bemoaned.

"Sorry, but you're not the second strongest person in the world! At the age of ten, Leon became the Champion and held onto the title for eleven years! Sure, you nearly beat him, but for eleven years, you just kept losing. What was the score? 11-0? Officially? Unofficially, it's more like, 50-0? Yeah, Leon is much cooler than you Raihan, no doubt about it."

"Yeah, well winning isn't everything. Sometimes, the cooler person can take losing in stride. Besides, I'm strong enough to be a Champion in another region, so there's that. Anyone not named Leon has no chance of beating me."

Daphne couldn't help but pipe up, puffing her chest out a bit.

"Actually, I bet my oldest brother, Gordie, can beat you. He is a person who is up and coming in the spotlight. His fashion is top-notch, and he has way more fans than you. Not to mention, everyone thinks he can become a top trainer if he actually put his mind to it. And seeing him battle my mom, there's no way I can imagine him losing to you."

Before Raihan could retort, a new voice entered the conversation.

"You know Daphne, I wouldn't be so sure. Raihan is an excellent battler, and I bet he would certainly be able to give Gordie a run for his money. After all, Raihan isn't exactly a slouch when it comes to giving me an entertaining battle. On multiple occasions, he has gotten me down to my second to last Pokémon in a full six-on-six battle, and he once almost tied with me during a one-on-one battle. Raihan is just as skilled as I am, even if he does lose to me all the time."

Gasping in surprise, Joshua turned to see Leon with Melissa standing beside him. Melissa was slightly shorter than Leon, and she wore blue, square glasses. Her bright green eyes peered out from behind the clear, smooth glass while her long, black hair fell neatly on her shoulders and down her back. She wore a simple white sundress decorated with a sunflower pattern and it had decorative red ribbon that tied around her waist. She was also wearing a big sunhat that had a giant, fake sunflower decorating the top.

"They're here! Hey Leon! Hey Melissa!" Joshua yelled as he rushed over and gave Melissa a big hug. "Hey, Melissa, did you graduate yet?"

"No, I'm researching for my capstone. I have to do field work in the Wild Area, examine a ton of books, and talk to a lot of experts. In fact, because I'm going to be traveling a lot, I need a Pokémon, and because I never was a Pokémon Trainer, I have to get my very first one today," Melissa explained.

"Right, that's going to be Raihan's job. I'm going to teach the kids how to catch their first Pokémon. But, before that, I ran into Sonia and the others before getting here. She said to give Joshua and Daphne these," Leon said as he reached into his pocket and took out two shrunken Poké Ball. One was a light pink Poké Ball with darker shade of pink on top and a splash of wavy purple on the bottom. The next one was a dark pink and white Poké Ball with a light pink heart that had a white line in the middle. "These are the Dream Ball and Love Ball. Sonia thought you might want to keep your Pokémon in different kinds of Poké Balls, and so she got everyone special Poké Balls. These two are yours."

Shift Purswipe to one arm, Joshua took the Dream Ball while Daphne took the Love Ball. Purswipe looked at it curiously, twitching her nose as it investigated the ball as Joshua held it in his tiny hands.

"Our new friend is going to be living in this Dream Ball. We're going out to get a new one," Joshua said, putting the Dream Ball away and placing Purswipe on the floor so it could follow him.

"Okay, Buttercup, we're leaving now!" Daphne called. The Hatenna stirred a little and rose to its feet. Her hair drooped and she shuffled away from Daphne's foot as Daphne rose. The little Pokemon yawned softy, and Joshua noticed that Daphne flinched. Even though she picked it, she still seemed a bit fearful of the Pokémon. Even so, Daphne gave Buttercup a look of sympathy, before returning the little Pokémon to its Premier Ball.

!*~*~*~*!

The group had finally arrived at Route 2, with Raihan leading with a quick trot. As Raihan lead them up the steep hill, Joshua observed his surroundings. On either side of the group, close rows of trees surrounded them and kept them from seeing more than a few inches into the dense undergrowth. The babbling of a brook filled the normally peaceful air, as the noisy chatters of a large group of Rookidee joined it in a clamorous chorus; both seemingly trying to compete to see who could be the loudest. The heat of summer wasn't too bad thanks to the nearby shade, but it was still causing Joshua to feel uncomfortable.

Nearby, ground dwelling Pokémon shifted through the earth in hopes to turning up some delicious fallen berries. Near the shelter of the trees and tall grass, Zigzagoon, Skwovet, and Nickit were scuttling about as they tried to find some tasty berries to munch on. They were totally oblivious to the nearby humans.

"Okay, this looks like a good place to find Melissa a Pokémon! Pick your Pokémon, and I'll help you catch it Melissa," Raihan announced as he swept his hand across the air to showcase the variety of Pokémon that were milling about.

To Raihan chagrin, it was Leon who spoke up before Melissa.

"Actually, I think you two should go further in. There are more unique Pokémon further in the trees and grass. I think one _those_ Pokémon might make better starters than any of these ones," Leon commented, earning a growl of disapproval from Purswipe. With a small smile of apology, Leon quickly amended his comment. "Not that Nickit aren't great starters! They're fantastic starter! One of the best! But, I think another Pokémon would suit Melissa better. One that can sniff out important things, fetch items, and is a really good partner to have in the field."

"Oh, I see what you mean. Yeah, that's probably the best starter for field work, besides Growlithe. Come on Melissa, let's go get you your first Pokémon. Then, we can take a selfie to commemorate it!" Raihan said as he walked deeper into the wooded area.

"Aw, but I wanted Leon to come with us. But, since he's going to be helping the kids, it probably is best that we split up," Melissa said as she trailed after him.

Joshua watched as the two disappeared into the dark shelter of the trees, before turning to Leon who was giving a friendly grin. He did his Champion pose before making a show of looking where to where the Pokémon milled about.

"Alright you two, I'm going to give you an in-depth lesson on how to pick out the right Pokémon and capture it. First, you need to pick out your target. Easier said than done," Leon said as he dramatically pointed at a wild Skwovet that had just crawled out from the shelter of the nearby tall grass. The Skwovet glanced at them with a dopey look before yawning and scratching its ear with its hindleg. Stretching a little, it continued on its merry search for berries.

Joshua was captivated by Leon's every move. His red eyes made sure to take in everything Leon did or said. After all, it wasn't everyday your idol taught you something as important as how to capture a Pokémon. Daphne, on the other hand, was more focused on the cute Skwovet; her eyes were wide with adoration as Skwovet twitched its fluffy tail.

"Next, you send out your Pokémon, and if the other Pokémon accepts, you will have a battle. I made sure prepared an extra special Pokémon to assist me today in teaching you how to catch a Pokémon." Leon said as he unlatched a Poké Ball from his belt. In a smooth movement, he tossed it a short way into the air and caught it before launching it fully into the air. The ball opened in mid-air, and a white light arched from the Poké Ball and onto the ground. In a matter of seconds, a fully realized Minccino was standing before them. "This is Minccino!"

"Oh, it's so cute Pokémon! I've never seen one before!" Daphne exclaimed as she whipped out her phone and pointed it at Leon's Pokemon.

_Minccino. The Chinchilla Pokémon. The way it brushes away grime with its tail can be helpful when cleaning. But its focus on spotlessness can make cleaning more of a hassle. They pet each other with their tails as a form of greeting. Of the two, the one whose tail is fluffier is a bit more boastful._

Shifting her phone over slightly, Daphne checked out the Skwovet.

_Skwovet. The Cheeky Pokémon. Found throughout the Galar region, this Pokémon becomes uneasy if its cheeks are ever completely empty of berries. It eats berries nonstop—a habit that has made it more resilient than it looks. It'll show up on farms, searching for yet more berries._

"Yes, he is cute! But, do you notice anything different about the Skowvet?" Leon prompted.

Looking closely at Skwovet, Joshua saw it was giving a different vibe than before. Now, it was giving a low growl, and was down on all fours. It rapidly swished its tail and kept its eyes trained on the Minccino.

Minccino narrowed its own eyes and returned the growl. The fur on the back of its back was raised as it let out an audible growl.

Purswipe looked between the two, her eyes wide with curiosity. This must be the first time that she has seen a Pokemon battle before. She had already participated in two, one with the Dubwool and one with Clobbopus, but since she was relatively young and cared for by a Dubwool for most of her life, she probably has never seen a proper, fun battle.

"It's in a battle stance. It has accepted the terms of the battle, right?" Daphne asked.

"Correct! Skwovet is ready for a battle and has decided to test your skill as a trainer. Sometimes a Pokémon will attack you out of the blue or will accept your challenge by standing its ground. If those two things happen, it will accept you as a trainer if you best it, no matter what. If it runs away, and you capture it, you'll find it will be difficult to train and it will not trust you at all. A wild Pokémon has a better chance of surviving with a trainer than without a trainer, so a lot of wild Pokémon are looking for good trainers that fit them. When battling, you need to be extra careful that you're not rushed by another Pokémon while battling," Leon warned, his eyes shifting ever so slightly.

Joshua and Purswipe scanned their surroundings to see if there was a close by threat. To their amazement, local Pokémon were gathering around. They all seemed to be on high alert, with perked up ears and erect tails, and the previously forging Pokémon, were now wearily watching the two Pokémon stare each other down. One Zigzagoon in particular stood on its hind legs. Unlike the others, it seemed like it was ready to jump into the fray with its sinister grin and rapidly swishing tail. Joshua could even see it twitch its nose, as it licked its face slowly.

"Goon!" the Zigzagoon cried.

With a snap of his fingers, Leon drew both Joshua and Purswipe's attention back.

"Okay, now watch this carefully! In order to capture a Pokémon, you need to weaken it first! Minccino is stronger than any Pokémon here, so that shouldn't be too difficult for him. Minccino, start with Echoed Voice," Leon ordered.

In a flash, Minccino got on all fours and let out a cry so loud, rings formed in the air and headed straight for the Skwovet. The sound waves blasted dirt up as it headed towards the Skwovet. Wasting no time, the Skwovet hoped out the way of the attack and made a charged towards Minccino.

"Skwovet!" it cried, its incisors growing to a dagger-like point and glowing silver.

Minccino allowed the Skwovet to get close to him before he hopped out of the way of the attack. As Skwovet missed the attack, the eagerness and force it put behind the attack, caused it to tumble forward. Leon decided to take the opening.

"Use Pound," Leon ordered and Minccino used his stiff tail to hit Skwovet in the side, sending it tumbling a short distance away. The Skwovet laid in the grass, stunned and dazed, but not fainted. "Okay, now it's weakened. Weaker, more common Pokémon, and Pokémon that have been caught before are more likely to be successfully captured. No one knows the reason why, but extensive research has been done to prove this. The current leading theory is that this is a survival technique and it helps expands the carrying capacity of natural environments. But, those aren't the only factor in how easy a Pokémon. Statuses also help. Do you two know what those are?"

"Yeah, Pokémon can have a few statuses. Burn, freeze, paralysis, poison, and sleep," Joshua answered.

"Oh, you're forgetting three. Infatuation, confusion, and curse. But, I guess these would be secondary statuses? The primary statuses can't happen simultaneously of each other, unlike these three," Daphne said.

As the group was talking, Skwovet took this time to recover. It shook its head and rose to its paw. It gave a challenging squeak.

Nodding, Leon unhooked a Dream Ball from his waist. "Good guess, Daphne. Those statuses don't work like the other ones. The main ones actually help make Pokémon easier to capture, and some Poké Balls have an increase catch rate, like this one. Dream Ball works better on Pokémon that are asleep. Minccino, care to help with a Sing?"

Skwovet turned to Minccino and rose its head, preparing for an attack. Instead of preparing to retaliate with a damaging attack, Minccino took a deep breath and began to sing a comforting lullaby. From Minccino's mouth, colorful musical notes appeared as Minccino continued to sing it soft melody and the notes gently floated towards the Skwovet.

Looking around, Joshua noticed that the nearby Pokémon began to become less alert and were beginning to slump over. Skwovet glared at the notes wearily, but when they hit the little Pokémon, it slowly blinked and yawned. Trying to rub its eyes, Skwovet fell to all four paws, before it slumped onto the ground, a soft snoring could be hard from its throat.

As soon as Skwovet was sound asleep, Leon tossed the Dream Ball he was holding, and it hit the sleeping Pokémon. Soon, the dozing Skwovet was withdrawn into the confines of the ball in a bright pink light. The Dream Ball fell to ground lightly and shook three time.

After is stopped shaking, a familiar hollow sound echoed throughout the clearing and the light glowed green. Minccino purred in delight, before it picked up the Poké Ball in his mouth and brought it over to Leon. Taking the Dream Ball from its partner, Leon proudly showed the two children the Dream Ball. Both Joshua and Daphne stood and looked at it in wide eyed amazement.

"And that's how you catch a Pokémon. Now, you two try. Daphne, you can go first," Leon encouraged.

Daphne did a double take and just stared at Leon. Her mouth flapped about as she tried to spit out the words to refute but found none. Shaking her head, she finally found her words again.

"B-but, I've never had a battle before! You expect me to just have a battle and capture a new Pokémon? I mean, you made it look easy, but you're a Champion! I can't do that!" Daphne insisted, as her eyes darted around, not daring to focus on one thing.

Around her the sleepiness of the other Pokémon was beginning to wear off and they were beginning to become more active and alert. The Zigzagoon from before was hopping up and down, its tail raised as it darted from one spot to another, ready for a fight. The other Pokémon steered clear of it, and Purswipe watched as it put on its war dance.

Purswipe tilted its head and crouched before trying to mimic the Zigzagoon's movement. She squeaked when she knocked into Joshua's leg after she could stop herself in time. Shaking herself off, she huffed and just quietly began to groom her chest fur. Joshua let out a little chuckle at Purswipe curiosity, and failure to mimic the hyper Zigzagoon.

"Well, there's no better time to learn than now. Just call out your Hatenna, and I'll walk you through the battle. Now, what's the first step, Daphne?"

"U-uh, I-I pick a Pokémon..." Daphne stuttered, as she shakily unhooked her Premier Ball. Glancing around, Joshua followed her gaze to a Pokémon that looked fairly non-threatening. It was an unassuming Skwovet that had finished watching the festivities and was now digging in the dirt slowly.

Aiming her Premier Ball, she pressed the button and the top flew open. A bright yellow light released Buttercup, who was looking around at her surroundings through her thick hair. Trying to see what her trainer was focusing on, Buttercup followed Daphne's gaze, and saw that she was staring at a Skwovet. Immediately understanding, it crouched down low, and got into a battle stance.

_Even Buttercup is ready to battle. I guess battles are just so ingrained in Pokémon, that even a sweet Pokemon like Buttercup wants to battle… _Joshua figured. Purswipe narrowed its eyes at Skwovet, getting into a crouched position and shaking its hindquarters. It apparently wanted to battle as well.

"Hatt..." Buttercup grumbled, showing it was prepared, as its laser focused in on the Pokémon. Without any further encouragement, it began to charge at the Skwovet. But, much to everyone's surprise, even Leon's, the Zigzagoon from before dashed in front of Buttercup. Buttercup came to a stop and tilted her head in confusion.

"Goon!" it challenged, hopping up and down in a threat display. Apparently, it wanted to battle and see what the lone Hatenna could do. Much to Daphne's dismay, the Skwovet finally noticed the commotion, and it darted off away from the soon to be violent scene. All the other Pokémon wandered as well, which caught Joshua off-guard.

"Umm, Leon, why did the other Pokémon leave? There's no danger here," Joshua asked. Even Purswipe seemed to show disinterest in the battle now as she sat down and scratched her ear with her hind foot.

"Well, I think it might be because all the Pokemon sees Daphne is inexperienced. Pokémon can be picky about who they challenge and who they will risk being captured by. It's easy to see Daphne is inexperienced, and thus, might not be the best trainer for them."

"You know, I can hear you! I know I'm inexperienced," Daphne yelled indignantly, "but I'm going try my best to get this Pokémon."

Although Daphne still seemed somewhat nervous, she was staring at the Zigzagoon down while it dashed from one spot to the next in a short line, kicking up all sorts of dirt. Joshua could see her determination shine through in her eyes.

"Okay, this Pokémon doesn't seem like it's going to make the first move, Buttercup. Let's start with a Confusion," Daphne ordered.

"Hatenna!" Buttercup cried and leapt up into the air. Seeing the battle was starting, Zigzagoon simply stood in place and hunkered down. A bright blue outline could be seen to manifest around Buttercup as well as the Zigzagoon. But, instead of flinching in pain or even squeaking, the black-and-white creature simply yawned and shook its fur. The Zigzagoon even began to groom itself through the attack!

Daphne's face began to become red as Buttercup landed on the ground, confused by the turn of events.

"Zigzagoon is a Dark-type. It's unaffected by Psychic attacks, for the most part. A really powerful Confusion or Psychic might be able to lift it, but that's it. Its HP will stay the same, and all a powerful throw will do is stun it. On a side note, status moves that are labeled as Psychic-type will affect it, such as Hypnosis. Status moves usually don't follow the 'doesn't affect' a Pokémon rule, except Thunder Wave." Leon explained.

Sticking its tongue out, the Zigzagoon turned around and shook its tail in a taunt. This just served to anger the usually calm Buttercup even more and it made a dash for it. Zigzagoon easily jumped over all its attempts to just headbutt it, getting the Hatenna even more aggravated.

"Alright, I've had enough of this little show! Nuzzle!" Daphne ordered, her frustration getting the better of her.

Electricity began to appear around Hatenna as it shuffled its feet cutely. Letting its guard down, the Zigzagoon began to laugh and point at her, thinking she was conceding the fight. As Zigzagoon laughed, Hatenna rubbed herself up close to Zigzagoon, causing it to screech in surprise and fall onto it back. Its limbs twitched slightly as visible yellow electricity appeared to be coursing through its fur. The Zigzagoon's moth was open, and it was beginning to foam as it was unable to move.

"Great, now throw a Poké Ball and it should be caught. Any Poké Ball will realistically do." Leon said.

Unhooking the new Love Ball Leon had given her earlier, she tossed it at the paralyzed Zigzagoon and it was absorbed into the capsule with pink energy surrounded by hearts. The Love Ball hit the ground and began to wiggle around rapidly. Daphne and Buttercup watched it eagerly. Soon, the ball stopped moving and the middle button lit up green to signify a capture.

Daphne cautiously picked it up, and as she did, the ball popped open and surprised everyone. The ball released a pink energy with heart and materialized into the Zigzagoon. It was standing on its hind legs with its big pink tongue hanging out.

Daphne was absolutely flabbergasted as she yelped in surprise.

"Don't worry, I think it just wants to say hello to its trainer," Leon said as he bent down to rub the creature's head. It grumbled a bit, electricity from its earlier paralysis still visible. Although it wasn't completely stunned right now, it was still having trouble moving. "I guess this is a good time as any to talk about how to cure-"

Before he could finish, Daphne decided to interject.

"I can explain that. Paralysis can be healed through Paralyze Heal or a Cheri Berry. Burn Heals, Yago Berries, and Rawst Berries can heal burns. Awakenings and Chesto Berries will cure sleep. Antidotes, Pecha Berries, and Drach Berries will cure poison. And finally, Aspear Berries, Pumkin Berries, and Ice Heals will cure the frozen status."

"Right, and I just happen to have a few extra Paralysis Heals right here," Leon said as he took out a shrunken yellow bottle from his pocket. It soon expanded, and he lightly sprayed the yellow liquid on the Zigzagoon.

"Goon?" it questioned, flicking its tail experimentally. Realizing it was free from the electricity that was plaguing its body, it smiled and began to zigzag all over the place in excitement. "Zig! Zig zag zig!"

Daphne took out her phone and pointed it at the Zigzagoon. Its stats came up and the phone began to say its species description.

_Galarian Zigzagoon. The Tiny Raccoon Pokémon. Thought to be the oldest form of Zigzagoon, it moves in zigzags and wreaks havoc upon its surroundings. Its restlessness has it constantly running around. If it sees another Pokémon, it will purposely run into them in order to start a fight._

"Let's see… it's a female, so I'll call her Keiko," Daphne announced, bending down petting the giddy Zigzagoon's head.

"Alright, now it's time for me to get a new Pokémon!" Joshua declared, his Nickit huffing in readiness.

"Okay, well, what Pokémon are you going to capture? There's more Pokémon in the tall grass if you want to try your luck there," Leon suggested as he rose and walked over to Joshua.

"No, I heard the Pokémon I wanted around here earlier. Hey, Purswipe, do you think you can flush it out?" Joshua asked. Nodding her head, Purswipe darted deep into the undergrowth and began to rub herself against a large patch of dense brush. As she did, the little pup kept her mouth open and made a breathy, toothy snarl as she head swiped the surrounding area.

From _Case Study_, Joshua understood that Purswipe was demonstrating her specie's threat display. Since an injury for a Pokémon could put it at risk for infection or cause it problems in finding food, most Pokémon would heed threat displays as a true advertising of power, and steer clear of a Pokémon who was showcasing them. Not many Pokémon wanted to risk injury in the wild, even if the reward was getting stronger, so it was best to avoid any Pokémon look to show off its strength. Although, some Pokémon were just too territorial for their own good and would accept the threat display as a challenge, no matter how strong the Pokémon seemed to be.

One such Pokémon to do this was Rookidee. They were known to blatantly ignore warnings, and in fact, they actively sought them out. To them, getting stronger vastly outweighed the potential issue of injury. It might be because they were smart and were able to remember what berry healed what.

"Rookidee!" a loud cry came from above Purswipe. Stopping her scent marking, Purswipe glanced up and spotted the culprit. It was a Rookidee swooping down from its perch. It gave Purswipe a sharp glare and fastened its claws tightly against the branch. Purswipe's mouth hung open as it showed its sharp row of teeth and gave a sharp hiss.

Undeterred, the little Rookidee flew forward without warning, it beak growing and glowing a bright silver.

"Quick Attack!" Joshua yelled, and Purswipe quickly charged at the Rookidee with a white aura coating it.

Neither one backed down and the two little Pokémon collided, sending both skidding backwards. Rookidee furiously tweeted and took to the skies for an aerial advantage. It flapped its wings rapidly as it tilted its head to get a good visual on the Nickit underneath it.

Purwipe bunched her body up as she monitored the Rookidee soaring above her head; a single fang showing from her curled lip. Preparing to strike again, Rookidee hovered in mid-air and Joshua took the opening.

"Okay, launch!"

With a loud cry, Purswipe startled Rookidee and surrounding itself in the same white aura, it bounded into the air and landed a solid hit square into the Rookidee's chest. The Rookidee let out a pained squawk as Purswipe unretracted its claws tiny claws and clung onto the bird with its pin sharp teeth. Flipping it over mid-air, Purswipe position Rookidee underneath so that when she landed, she landed directly on Rookidee, knocking the wind out of it.

Jumping off, Purswipe allowed for the Rookidee to stumble away from it. Dazed, but not completely deterred, it faced the Nickit. It whistled loudly as it nodded its head, trying to look intimidating. Growling, Purswipe hit the Pokémon with a lighting fast, yet powerful, strike with its paw, knocking the little bird completely off balance. Shifting her gaze over to Joshua, she singled him to throw the Poké Ball.

"Okay, let's go Dream Ball!" Joshua yelled, barely able to contain his excitement as he unhooked his new Dream Ball. He was grinning wildly at the prospect of catching a new Pokémon.

Lining it up, he chucked the ball towards Rookidee and it hit the bird directly on its noggin. Soon, the little bird was absorbed in a bright pink light. The Poké Ball hit the ground with a light thud and wiggled rapidly for a while. After a few moments, the hollow sound played, and a green light appeared on the ball to signify capture. Walking over to pick it up, Joshua held the Dream Ball in his hands, his eyes growing wide as he picked up. He gently rubbed the top of it and rubbed the ball against his face.

"Good job, Joshua! That was one fancy plan, worthy of someone who has the chance to become a Champion," Leon praised.

Joshua felt a special sort of warm radiate throughout his body. He was so proud of the fact his idol complimented him on his battle. Purswipe rubbed herself up against Joshua's leg, and reached down to pet her on a job well done. Without her, he couldn't have had his new partner.

"Zigzag?" Keiko questioned as it sniffed Joshua.

"Okay, well let's go find Raihan. I finished teaching you everything here, so hopefully he caught the new Pokémon for Melissa. Although, considering what it is, I highly doubt it," Leon said, giving a good-nature smile.

"Oh, wait! I want to find a Brilliant Pokémon, Leon. Specifically, a Chewtle! How does one find a Brilliant Pokémon?" Joshua asked.

"Oh, Affray told me all about this! He said that they are stronger than most Pokémon, and the Rotophone will automatically get an alert if one is around. That's because most people can't see the aura directly. Some people are able to see the aura, like Eugene. That was how he found his Greedent, after all." Daphne recounted.

"So, if I wander around for a bit, I might be able to find one?"

"Yes, if you wander around, you could potential find a Brilliant Chewtle. So, since we're just going to wander aimlessly trying to find it, let's go to Raihan and see what he's doing for now. We might see it there, or on the way back."

"Sounds like a plan. Alright, Leon, let's go."

Leon lead the two children and three Pokémon towards where Raihan disappeared to. It wasn't long before Joshua heard the familiar, jovial sounds of Raihan voice. But, this time, it seems like he was having a little bit of a problem, and he could hear Melissa doubling over in laughter.

"Listen you little scamp, just hold still and get in the Poké Ball!"

"Raihan, I don't think it wants to listen to you!"

"Yamper! Yamp amp! Yamper!"

Joshua held back his laughter as he cracked into a smile instead.

For some reason, Electric-type Pokémon were the bane of Raihan's existence as a trainer. He could get along fine with them, but once it came to catching or training them, all bets were off. They all insisted on misbehaving and leading him around in a game of tag. Raihan had always expressed gratitude on the fact the world had no "permanent" Electric and Dragon-type Pokémon to train. Besides Zekrom and Mega Ampharos, last time Joshua checked, no Pokémon of that type combination existed.

"No, no, don't you dare you fluffy little- ARGH!"

Joshua shook his head. Just from the sound alone, Joshua could tell Raihan got paralyzed. "He got paralyzed _again_. You think he'd be immune again with how often this happen! Or, at the very least, just carry a Paralyze Heal all the time."

Zigzagoon lolled its tongue in amusement at the scream. Joshua peered through the tree, and he spotted Raihan leaned up against the tree, a scowl on his face as the Yamper wagged its tail at him and let Melissa pet it. From the electricity flying all about him, it was clear to see that he was paralyzed. As Melissa pet the Yamper, it gave a little bark and jumped into Melissa's arms. It jovially began to lick her face, causing her to laugh even more.

"Aw, he's so cute Raihan, and I think he wants to be my starter. Your personality must really shine through if even wild Pokémon trust you."

"Oh, I missed you wrangling Melissa's first Pokémon. That must have been a sight to behold. I'm sure you're eager to take a selfie with her to commemorate her first Pokémon, but let me heal you first," Leon said as he appeared from the trees with Keiko trotting alongside him. Joshua and Daphne followed after him, their starters happily bounding around their feet.

"Heh, thanks Leon! Raihan managed to convince the Yamper to join me without battling it. He sure has a way with Pokémon. Although, I think Yamper got a little too excited and when he rubbed up against him, he must have released too much electricity and paralyzed poor Raihan," Melissa said as she shot Raihan a sympathetic look.

_Oh, that was no accident. Anytime he has to train Electric-type Pokémon, they will find a way to paralyze him. They think it's funny, and I can see why. _Joshua thought as he smiled at Raihan's misfortune. He loved his cousin, but sometimes, he couldn't help, but find his pain funny.

"Well, don't worry. This happens quite often, so I always carry a supply of Paralyze Heal," Leon commented as he bent down and took out a shrunken Paralyze Heal. Growing it full size and with a teasing grin, Leon sprayed Raihan in the face with the spray.

"Poor Raihan can't catch a break. Leon knew having him catch a Yamper was going to result and this, yet he suggested it for his own amusement," Daphne whispered to Joshua.

"They've always been like this. Raihan won't back down from Leon's suggestions, even when he knows something bad will happen, and Leon takes advantage of it. That's just their friendship. Besides, Raihan has also been known to get Leon lost, so they get even with each other," Joshua whispered back.

"Hey, Leon, I always thought that only Poké Balls shrunk. Why is the Paralysis Heal shrinking?" Melissa asked.

"Oh, it's the newest technology. Galar scientists have been working to create a better way to carry a lot of items that doesn't involve infinite energy. So, instead of teleporting it into a personal holding place in the PC, they came up with the strategy to shrink the items. So, you can carry a huge bike or fishing rod with you," Leon explained. "Oh, and don't you two worry. Hop will set up the technology for you."

"Great, well since I feel better, let's take that selfie together Melissa and show off your accomplishment! Then we can get back and meet up with everyone!" Raihan exclaimed, much to Joshua's dismay. He didn't get to find a Chewtle yet.

As Joshua was about to lose hope in having the chance to find one today, Leon bend down and whispered in his ear. "You know, you could go look for Chewtle now. Just be back in thirty minutes, and I'll make sure we're still waiting for you."

Shooting Leon, a grateful look, Joshua rushed off while Raihan was busy getting his phone out to take a selfie. Purswipe followed after him, having to sprint to keep up with the overexcited boy. Joshua decided he would only stop running once his phone buzzed, and not long after leaving the group, it buzzed in his pocket. Coming to a complete stop with Purswipe, Joshua took out his Rotophone, and saw the alert about a nearby Brilliant Pokémon. The alert even had the species: Chewtle.

Joshua counted himself lucky to find a Brilliant Pokémon of the species he wanted. There were quite a few Pokémon that made their home here, and Brilliant Pokémon were the result of powerful Pokémon migrating and having their offspring in different place. Female Drednaw would sometimes come from the Wild Area and lay their clutch on routes like Route 2.

Looking around, Joshua found himself next to a pool of water that lacked tall grass. The trees had thinned out, and there was a surprising lack of cover for the nearby Pokémon. It might explain why the pool was so empty though. Only a Lotad was floating in the middle of the water, and a few Seedot lounged beside the bank. A little further away the brush continue, and Pokémon were happily milling about in it.

"Okay, I need you, Rookidee!" Joshua yelled as he tossed his Dream Ball. From pink smoke, a small blue and yellow bird materialized and landed on the grass-less ground. It looked up at Joshua, titling it head.

Quickly taking out his phone, Joshua pointed it at the Rookidee. Its information came up on his phone.

_Rookidee. The Tiny Bird Pokémon. Jumping nimbly about, this small-bodied Pokémon takes advantage of even the slightest opportunity to disorient larger opponents. It will bravely challenge any opponent, no matter how powerful. This Pokémon benefits from every battle—even a defeat increases its strength a bit._

_Hmm, so it's a female… _Joshua mused as he looked at her profile.

"I didn't give you a nickname earlier, so I'll do it now. Areadbhar, sounds good. That's the name of the spear of the mythical god, Lugh. When he lived during the time of Zacian and Zamazenta, he helped the pair dispatch giants that threatened Galar. Oh, but the spear he had was abnormal. The spear was alive. And it had a thirst for blood. The spear would light itself on fire, and fight everything by itself, never satisfied, no matter how many battles it won. Of course, this is all myths, so this is just a story, but I feel like you're going to as scrappy as that sword," Joshua observed.

"Rook? Dee?" Areadbhar tweeted.

"Right, well I need you to find a Chewtle. I want to capture one to complete my team," Joshua ordered.

With a nod, the little Pokémon took to the skies and glided through the light breeze with ease. She was clearly an experienced flier. Her head twitched a little as she scanned the undergrowth, until it locked in place. She began to glide over one specific spot, but she made sure to be quiet.

"Okay, Purswipe, flush it out!"

Without a second of hesitation, Purswipe dove into the untamed bush and headed straight for where Areadbhar was hovering. After a few moments, Purswipe broke from the cover, a Chewtle in hot pursuit after her. A Nickit was only slightly faster than Chewtle, so even though Purswipe seemed to have the lead, Chewtle might be able to close the gap.

Aiming his Rotophone at the Chewtle, its profile appeared, and the phone began to rattle off its species information.

_Chewtle. The Snapping Pokémon. It starts off battles by attacking with its rock-hard horn, but as soon as the opponent flinches, this Pokémon bites down and never lets go. Apparently the itch of its teething impels it to snap its jaws at anything in front of it._

_Alright, let's see its move set. Tackle, Water Gun, Bite, and Skull Bash. Skull Bash is a move it doesn't normally learn, so yeah, this is the Brilliant Pokémon. _Joshua thought.

"Niii!" Purswipe cried in fear as Chewtle began to close the gap. Out of panic, Joshua whistled to get the Chewtle's attention, stopping it dead in its tracks. Slowly, it turned towards Joshua and watched him curiously. To Joshua's surprise, instead of aggravating the creature, this member of its species seemed to like it.

Purswipe took this time to scuttle over to Joshua and hide behind him. _So much for being my protector… _Joshua thought as he whistled again, this time to entice Chewtle over. The Water-type Pokémon opened its mouth and snapped. Areadbhar landed on Chewtle's back and began to whistle a song, curiously. Instead of snapping at it, Chewtle just snapped it teeth in time with the whistle.

Whistling again, Chewtle grinned and walked over to Joshua. It reared up on its hind legs, causing Areadbhar to fly off and land a short distance away. It smiled and snapped its teeth at him. Gently, he reached down and patted it on the head. Giving a low grumble, Chewtle rubbed it giant head against his hand.

"Hey, Chewtle, would you like to join me on my journey? Uh, sorry for disturbing you. I thought you might have only wanted a battle for me to prove myself to you," Joshua said.

"Chew!" Chewtle cried, chewing on Joshua's pant leg happily.

"I guess that's a yes…?" Unhooking a plain Poké Ball from his waist and tossed it at Chewtle's head. A bright red light absorbed it into the Poké Ball, and within a few moments, the Chewtle was caught. "Well, that weird and a little anti-climactic… I was hoping for a big battle with her. But, I guess there's more than one way to catch a Pokémon."

Picking up the Poké Ball, Joshua clicked the button in the middle of the Poké Ball and released Chewtle. "Now, you need a name… How about Gungnir? It's the name of the spear that the mythical god Odin gained from Xerneas after he bested her in a game of knowledge. During Ragnarok, the end of the world, he is going to take on the giant Fenrir, who is thought to be an extremely large Zygard 10% forme."

"Tle? Ew! Chewtle!" Chewtle said, headbutting Joshua's leg, causing him to recoil. A sharp lighting like pain shot up through his leg, almost like he hit his funny bone.

"Okay, I assume that means you like it. Well, let's get back to the others now." Joshua recalled all his Pokémon and headed back to the others.

When he met back up with them, Raihan was still taking a selfie with Melissa and the Yamper she was holding. This time, he stayed on the opposite side of where Yamper was.

_Hm, I should take a selfie when I get up and post it. I want my parents to see how good I'm doing already._ Joshua thought as he walked over to Leon. "Okay, I caught it."

"That was quick! Let me guess, you didn't even need to battle it?" Leon guessed.

"Yup! It joined my team when I whistled. Is that normal, or is this Chewtle a little weird… I don't know how whistling would convince a Pokémon," Joshua said.

"A lot of things can make a Pokémon want to join you. Battling is always an obvious way. Sometimes helping them will make them want to join you. Feeding them is another popular way to entice them to join you, and the most foolproof way. Whistling usually draws a Pokémon's attention, but it's not unheard of for a Pokémon to like your whistling. Yamper are known to follow people who whistle, and some wild Pokémon love music. Although, I've never heard of a Chewtle liking music. They tend to be a bit more… fighting inclined." Leon explained.

"I guess I just have a weird Chewtle… I wonder how she'll interact with my other Pokémon." Joshua mused.

Daphne finally noticed Joshua was back, and she quickly walked over to him.

"Welcome back. Did you get the Chewtle?" Daphne asked.

"Yep! My permanent team now has a Rookidee and a Chewtle! They should cover Grass-types and Fire-Type, which means it a good match-up for Rillaboom and Centiskorch. Nickit is good against Indeedee. Which leaves Dracovish, Greedent, and Grimmsnarl to plan against. Dracovish is the hardest one since only Dragon-type and Fairy-type are effective..." Joshua mused.

"So, Affray was right about you wanting to beat Eugene…" Daphne muttered.

Before Joshua could ask what she meant, Raihan called for their attention.

"Okay, it's time to go back to the lab. It's 4:45 PM, and I promised to meet Sonia back at the lab by about 6:00 PM. Leon, are you coming over to have dinner with us as well? Please, say no," Raihan joked.

"I'd love to join you and Melissa for dinner! I can even bring Hop!" Leon replied.

With a sigh and a shake of his head, Raihan lead the group back to the lab.

!*~*~*~*!

"Raihan, how many times have I told you not to bother wild Yamper? They're overly playful and like to use Nuzzle on anything that move." Sonia scolded. Everyone was sitting around a table in the lab to enjoy some relaxing tea and to trade stories about what they did today.

Affray had been training for a majority of the time and only took a break to catch a Wooloo, while Noiritta went shopping for Dreepy's food. Sonia was preparing for the trip tomorrow with Hop, and Hop was doing some last-minute tidying up of the lab for the new aide to take over. Lilac had decided to hang around the lab and play with Yamper while Raihan took Joshua out. Freya and Eugene ended up touring around town and engaging in conversations with the locals.

While the adults talked, Joshua and the other kids were having their own side discussion.

"Affray won the bet, Joshua. He guessed you would catch a Rookidee and Chewtle," Daphne announced.

"What?!" Joshua screamed, abruptly standing up. "How would he possibly know I wanted two Pokémon?"

"Elementary. I overheard my dad talking to Raihan about you during a party to celebrate the opening of a ship, and honestly, those two Pokémon just fit you goal. Raihan told my dad your goals and how you wanted to beat Eugene. Your cousin brags about you like you're his child. He said you were determined to show Eugene up, even with all your handicaps and terrible math grades. Raihan thought it was something to be proud of, to be st-"

Raihan interrupted Affray before he could finish.

"Joshua has got just as much grit as you do, Affray. You can be born talented, or average, and achieve wonderful things. But, in order to do that, you have to have grit, which you have. You can't be a prodigy to your degree without hard work. Joshua isn't born with a natural ability with numbers, sure, but he works hard to overcome that challenge. And I believe, that he will go off to do wonderful thing. So, no, Joshua isn't stupid. He's hardworking and smart. You're just too set in your idea of intelligence to see how smart he really is," Raihan said.

Joshua couldn't help but be silent as Raihan talked. He had never heard Raihan actually stand up for him. He had only heard him bemoan the fact that he had to take supplemental classes. To heard Raihan stand up for him made Joshua happier than he could ever imagine.

"You can't be serious, sir. With all due respect, sir, Joshua is a joke. He thinks his Dark-type can win against a naturally powerful Fighting-type, he almost got held back in almost all of his years due to math, he is reckless and can't follow orders, and he has nothing to offer outside of gusto. In my humble opinion, I don't think he's earned a letter of recommendation. To give him one would be allowing someone to sully your reputation. Since this is the minor leagues, anyone can compete, recommendation or no. So, don't risk your name being tarnished," Affray declared.

But, it only earned him a glare and retort from Hop.

"Reputation? Joshua is not attached to Raihan's name. He is his own person and can only represent himself. I once beat myself over sullying Lee's name, and I was so lost and distraught, I didn't know what to do. I even almost abandoned the promise I made to my Dubwool to make my brother proud… but, they were all empty attempts. Nothing could hurt me, except thinking I was dragging my big brother's name down. I worshiped and loved my big brother so much, that to think I was hurting him made me want to give up. But, I decided to live my own life and know that trying my best, would make my brother and I happier than if I lived trying to please the masses to make my bro's reputation better," Hop said as he gave a bitter, yet vicious, smile.

Leon glanced over Hop, his eyes filled with grief and surprise.

"Was that what happened that time you looked so down? Hop, if you had told me, I could have said not to worry about it. You're the best little brother I could ask for, and you never need to be ashamed of being you. If anyone ever says you're dragging me down, they're wrong. You could never drag me down, because you're more than me and you're one amazing brother. Besides, you ended up catching a Legendary Pokémon, saving the world, and starting your training to be a professor. I'd say you're more amazing than me, little bro," Leon said with a loving smile.

Hop began to blush a little from the kind words of his brother.

"So, Affray, reputations don't matter. Joshua isn't going to drag Raihan's name through the mud, so stop suggesting he will. Besides, why does reputation even matter to you?" Hop asked.

"As the son of a baron, my reputation is my bond. I live and die by it. In order to be worth anything, I have to make a good impression for my family and father. Even if my grandmother has disinherited me from the title of baron because my mother is from Unova, I still represent the Audley name and that comes with hefty burdens. To suggest it doesn't matter is naive at best. My life revolves around my brother and my reputation," Affray affirmed.

Joshua couldn't help pitying Affray.

_That actually sounds pretty sad… To think that he can't make a mistake or his family's reputation might be put on the line is pitiable. I can see why he dislikes me, but it's not my fault his life is like that. Since he's already disowned, he can just make himself a new life away from his overbearing family. Living by their name will just make him miserable. I guess, all I can do is count my blessings that I'm not a royal,_ Joshua thought as he sipped his tea.

"Sound pretty sad," Noiritta leaned over to Joshua and whispered, "and I'm sure he's hurting a lot from being disowned because he was born to the wrong person. But, don't worry, I don't believe you're stupid Joshua. I'm sure you'll win the next battle you have with him, and then, he'll have to respect you."

"I don't need his respect. I've lived my life up to here without it, and I can live the rest of my life without it too. If he wants to act like a prince, he can act like a prince. I'm just not giving him the time of day to ruin my life. Daffodil and you are the only one of my peers at this table that I care about," Joshua hissed back.

"Her name is Daphne, not Daffodil. And I think you two should try to get along. Who knows? You two might turn out to be the best of friends."

"Oh, I highly doubt that. He's too annoying for us to ever be friends. Besides, I can't stand people like him."

Shrugging it off, Noiritta went back to drinking her tea. Finally, Sonia decided to speak.

"Oh, right, I called you all back here for a reason. I'm supposed to give you your gifts. I know Leon gave Daphne and Joshua half of theirs, but I still want to make sure I give everyone their gifts. The final part of being a trainer is knowing how to use TMs. Does everyone know how to use TMs?" Sonia questioned.

"Yes, they're disks that give Pokémon moves. TRs break after one use, but TMs last forever. In order to teach a TM or TR, you need to put a Pokéball in a special device and insert the disk into the device. It will automatically teach the Pokémon the basis of the move, and the Pokémon has to work to master it. Is that correct?" Noiritta asked.

"Correct! I guess your schools did teach you a lot about the rules of the Pokémon World. Anyways, I have the devices for you, as well as the Pokémon Box Link. And, each of you will be getting a free TM, just so we can make sure the devices all work correctly," Sonia said as she got up from the table and stepped away for a few moments. A couple of heartbeats later, she reappeared with a bag full of the electronics.

She then began to hand out the TM learning devices, giving Joshua one first. Joshua took his time to examine the little cube first. It was a gray cube that had a CD slot on a Poké Ball-like icon at the top. Turning it upside down, Joshua saw an opening that was just large enough to fit a shrunken Poké Ball but was big enough to accommodate a fully grown Poké Ball. Not wasting time, he placed his Premier Ball inside the device, the button facing where the disk would go, and it grew to its full size.

Joshua could see that everyone else had done the same with their starter Pokémon Poké Balls.

"Alright, it seems you already knew how to orientation the Poké Balls. Now, for the TMs!" Sonia said, as she handed out a case with a CD in it. On Joshua's case, his stated that it was "TM 40" and below the label was the word "Swift".

Inserting it into the slot, the device gave a little chime, before it began to give a soft whirl as it worked. In a matter of seconds, it let off another soft chime before becoming quiet.

"The TM for Swift was learned. Congratulations." the device said, before shrinking the Poké Ball, and spiting it back into Joshua's hand.

"The TM for Round was learned. Congratulations."

"The TM for Ice Punch was learned. Congratulations."

"The TM for Mystical Fire was learned. Congratulations."

Noiritta's, Affray's, and Daphne's devices announced what their Pokémon had learned, and they all took their Poké Balls out of their devices.

"Next up, I'll give Noiritta and Affray their special Poké Ball and the Pokémon Box Link. The Pokémon Box Link links to a personal PC storage space that every trainer gets when they obtain their Trainer ID and is a portable way to send and receive Pokémon. Some people hire Breeders to look after all their Pokémon in the PC, so everyone will be fighting fit when they need them, and so that they get a quality meal. A Pokémon can survive indefinitely in a Poké Ball since it's in a suspended state of animation, though they are still conscious and respond to stimulus outside the Poké Ball. You can also use the system to trade Pokémon with others. Isn't technology like this convenient?" Sonia chimed.

"You're forgetting to mention that they can't use it during the Gym Challenges. And you also forgot to show them how to use it," Hop quipped.

"Hop, they learned how to use it in school! It was in their curriculum," Sonia argued.

"Then why did you explain what it was? If they learned about, surely they know what Box Link does."

Sonia began to get a little flustered as she answered.

"Well, I didn't explain what it was per say. I just was giving extraneous information. You know, like factoids."

"Ah, don't worry about its Sonia. I was just messing with you! You're doing a great job."

Shaking her head in disbelief, Sonia turned her focus towards the kids.

"Any questions?"

The kids simply shook their heads.

"Great! So, let me give you the devices and let me give Affray and Noiritta their specialized Poké Balls," Sonia exclaimed.

Sonia handed out the Pokémon Box Links and she handed Affray a Friend Ball and Noiritta a Moon Ball.

"We should probably get to dinner with Gordie now. It was nice seeing you Sonia," Melissa said, giving a relaxed and welcoming smile.

"Likewise, Melissa. You're always welcomed to drop by anytime. And everyone, we'll be meeting up at the train station a little before 9:00 AM. Remember, it's supposed to go all the way to Motostoke without stopping, so we're not going to the Wild Area. Even though we planned four days into the schedule, because, you know, you can never trust Wooloo not to block the train," Sonia announced.

"Yeah, I agree with Sonia! Oh, and Joshua, before you leave, I'm giving this back to you. We might get separated, so I want you to keep this close to you. Gran said to let Raiju see this, and when we get to the pitch, I'll point him out. But, before that, don't let anyone take it away from you. Understand?" Hop asked, as he took off a necklace he was keeping hidden under his lab coat.

Feeling the gravity of the situation, Joshua simply nodded and took the necklace. It was a sturdy piece of clear lanyard that was fastened tightly around the feather Joshua had found. Putting it around his neck, Joshua quickly made sure his shirt hid it from view. _It's scientific evidence. Of course, he would want this to be kept safe. It's unusual, but not special. _Joshua tried to convince himself as tried to calm himself. Just the idea that he couldn't have the feather taken from him frightened him. Was someone going to come after him just for it?

To his surprise, Daphne was the one to speak up.

"Joshua, I think Hop just doesn't want you to lose it. No one will be chasing after you. After all, realistically, how many problems can one little feather cause?"

Nodding, Joshua packed the new items into his bag. After saying their goodbyes, Raihan, Joshua, Lilac, Daphne, Melissa, Leon, Hop, and Noiritta all left to have their dinner.

!*~*~*~*!

Joshua, Daphne, Hop, Lilac, and Noiritta walked ahead of the adult, as they talked about Gordie becoming a Gym Leader. They walked down the paved red brick road, passing the shops as they closed up for the night. Joshua took noticed of some of the restaurant owners leaving out scraps for the wild Pokémon that were waiting around. From the looks of it, the wild Pokémon always came around to eat the scraps.

"It's really cool that Pokémon and humans can be together. Kristopher would be proud if he was still alive," Joshua noted.

"Yeah, he would be proud of you too. You believe in your Pokémon, which is what he advocated for. Without him, who knows where this world would be," Hop responded.

"I want to be just like him when I grow up! I mean, sure, it sucks the he died young, but I'll take it if I could create something half as amazing as the Pokémon League! I want to do something that bring Pokémon and humans even closer together," Joshua beamed.

"Create something like the Pokémon League? Joshua, that's impossible! The Pokémon League is super important to everyone. How could you create something so significant?" Daphne exclaimed.

"Well, it wouldn't be the Pokémon League per say. Maybe something new! A variation on Contests or Battle competitions. There's a lot more to Pokémon than just attacks. What about a universal agility contest? We don't have one of those," Joshua offered.

Rolling her eyes, Daphne just walked a little ahead of the group. "There's a reason why. It would lock so many Pokémon out of it. A poor Slowpoke can't compete with something like a Boltund. In order to be fair, it would have to have a lot of different speed classes to even be considered fair. If you really want to bring Pokémon and their trainer together, you'll need something special."

Shrugging, Joshua caught up to Daphne as she stopped in front of the restaurant. The awning had the name "Kitty and Bunny" written in loopy cursive and plastered on the window were Nickit stickers. There was a sticker of a picture of a Nickit sitting down at a table with a cute, little girl in a yellow dress feeding the Pokémon from across the table with a spoon. Another was of a Nickit show off its ability to shake its paw for its trainer. And another featured a Nickit hiding under a large leaf from the rain.

"Oh, wow, so it's Nickit theme! Maybe your Nickit will be able to make a new friend!" Noiritta cooed.

Giving a nod of acknowledgment, Joshua opened the door and entered the restaurant. Even though it was usually a cafe for lunch or breakfast, the restaurant was quite full. The podium where the person who was supposed to seat them was empty. Looking into the restaurant, Joshua spotted some Nickit roaming around and shaking their paws in a greeting. Some of the patrons actually reached down and shook their paws. As he was watching, he felt a tug on his pants leg that startled him. Looking down, he saw that a Nickit was waiting by his side, its tail swishing from side to side.

"Oh, you must be here to seat us, right?" Joshua inquired.

"Kit!" Nickit said as it nodded it head and began to walk off. Joshua and everyone else followed the little critter. It led them to a large empty booth. The plush booth chairs were a dark red with a black, wavy bottom, the same color scheme as a Nickit. The normal chairs that sat at the table were a dark red colors and had Nickit ears on the back, and the legs of the chair were replaced with Nickit tail shaped chairs. The white walls had a black wavy pattern on the bottom, and they were covered with various posters of Nickit in cute poses.

If there was one thing Kitty and Bunnydid right was that they worked to make sure each location was unique. Each one had unique furniture, and a different feel to them. As the group sat down, the Nickit from before padded off and disappeared around a corner. The soft, ambient sound of background chatter filled the air. Joshua found his seat next to Noiritta and Daphne.

"Gordie, what would make you decide to be a Gym Leader? I mean, sure, you won that battle with your mom, but you just refused to take over the gym. The Gym Trainers have been bemoaning how tough your mother is on them. And, everyone thinks you'll be on par with Raihan, so I think being a Gym Leader would suit you," Melissa said, continuing the conversation from before.

"Well, it would be a waste of my time. I'm more into my fashion and fans than battling. Being a Gym Leader as well would take away from my time. Although, I might reconsider if I have a battle that brings others together. My mom and I divided the town with our last fight. I don't want to be a part of something that divides people. I want to do something that will bring people together." Gordie said.

"That's too bad. I hope someone can give you such a battle. To have one of my favorite trainers follow a dream that fits him, and he would to achieve would just make my heart soar," Melissa sighed.

Joshua and Daphne both gave each other a knowing look, while Noiritta looked at the pair curiously. Leaning over, Joshua whispered into Noiritta's ear.

"Raihan is going to volunteer. He's crazy 'bout Melissa."

Right on cue, Raihan spoke up.

"Oh, we can have a battle Gordie! I can show you how fun it can really be with the crowd roaring their support! People get so pumped up for a battle, that their energy becomes almost intoxicating! No ideology, just the fans getting super energized as they watch us, and our Pokémon try our hardest! I can almost hear my partner crying out for a good battle just thinking about it!" Raihan cried.

Leon began to laugh. "Raihan, you really do love battling. I can respect that. After all, most people at this table do share a passion for battles."

Noiritta whispered back to Joshua.

"Does he always get like this when it involves Melissa?"

"Always. The instant he thinks he can impress her, he becomes enthusiastic. But, this might also be a mix of him genuinely wanting a battle."

Gordie seemed to be pondering his options for a moment, before giving a challenging smile.

"A battle with you, Raihan? I can't think of a better way to see if this is my style. After all, we should be evenly matched, and I bet a lot of people anticipate it. Alright, a battle will be perfect," Gordie said, making Melissa clap happily.

"Oh, I can't wait to see you battle! I bet it will be an event for the century! I know you two will have such great fun, and I can already see that Raihan is particularly riled up for this!" Melissa said. "With that decided, kids, what are you planning to do tomorrow? Especially if we get stuck in the Wild Area?"

Before Joshua could answer, a teenage girl with bright blonde hair and deep red eyes came up to them with a notepad. She wore a red and black maid's outfit and had Nickit ears and tail that was swishing all over the place. Joshua never understood how they moved, but his classmates guessed that it was a device that read either their heartbeat or brainwaves and moved accordingly. The girl's ears were fully erect, as she seemed to be listening for something.

"Welcome to Kitty and Bunny, a home to all! The name is Patricia, and I'll be taking your order today," she said as she laid out the tableware. The gold tableware shone brightly in the white napkin blanket. Because gold never tarnished, all tableware was made out of gold.

After handing out the tableware, she gave the group their menus before walking away again to serve other people. Joshua quickly scoured through the menu before he found what he wanted for dinner. It was a grilled Berry salad, with the juices from sweet Berries glazed on top. When the group all ordered their dinner, Melissa turned her attention back to the kids.

"Now, about my question..."

"Well, I want to go check out Motostoke before the big event, but if we do end up getting stuck in the Wild Area, I want to pair up with Noiritta and explore it a little bit. Not too much, because, just walking in a straight line apparently takes about four days, according to Freya," Joshua said.

"Yeah, it's 151 miles from what I've heard. I'm not as smart as Affray, or I just never learned that math yet, so I didn't do the exact maths, but people say it's a little over four days, if you plan correctly. Affray is the king of planning for things with math, but I don't know why he was trying to figure out travel speed and then thought the route would help. No matter what, the most ideal route is the most ideal route. Knowing your travel speed will only help you know how many hours you have to get to the place, and how long your break can be, not which route is most ideal," Noiritta said.

"Hmm, if you're going with Joshua, Norry, I'll go with Affray. Even though he can be a little obnoxious, I don't think he'll be able to get too far without a schedule. He's planned for everything, except for how long and when his breaks should be. If Affray is the king at the big details, I'm the queen at planning the little details. But, it would be nice if we had some adult supervision..." Daphne sighed.

"Well, I'll tag along with Joshua and Noiritta. Hop, do you mind escorting Affray and Daphne if we have to go through the Wild Area? I know you went through it on your own, but it would be nice if the kids had some experienced guides," Melissa asked.

With a nod, Hop smiled.

"Leave it to me. I'll make sure the two of them get to Motostoke safely."

The group continued their idle chatter as they order their food and began to eat their meal once it arrived. Halfway through the meal, Noiritta turned to Joshua.

"Joshua, can I see your feather? I didn't get a real good look at it. Besides, Hop's Fylgja said it was really intriguing and he hasn't seen it before," Noiritta said.

"Sure! But, now I'm kind of curious what Hop's Fylgja is," Joshua said as he took the feather from around his neck and allowed Noiritta to look at it. Curiously, Daphne looked over to examine it as well.

"Hop's Fylgja is a Goodra. She's really friendly, just like an actual Goodra. Mmmhhh, this feather has fur at the bottom. That's unusual," Noiritta whispered before speaking to Melissa. "Hey, Melissa, do you think we can visit the Stone of Destiny? It's by the Watchtower Ruins, so it'll be easy to get to."

Melissa blinked, blindsided by the sudden question.

"Ahhh, sure Noiritta. But, why do you want to go there? The stone has nothing to special about it anymore. It used to sing when there was a true king in its presence, but Calyrex isn't around right now. It has been quite for centuries at this point." Melissa explained.

"Yes, but I heard that Wishing Stars land near there and Joshua and I still need our Dynamax Bands. If we can find four stones, we can get one for everyone. Although, it is a little strange that the Wishing Stars land over there. I wonder what draws it over there."

"Oh, I guess I wasn't thinking clearly. I was thinking you would – Oh, I spend too much time in my classes. A few semesters back, I chose to write a paper on why the stone might never sing again. And with what Sonia told me with those two false princes that harassed her and endangered everyone, the stone will probably forever remain quiet. That's why I thought it would be pointless to visit it. But, yes, you are correct, the Wishing Stars are there."

"Oh, speaking of papers," Raihan interrupted, "what is yours going to be about? You never said the topic."

"The topic? Well, I don't have a very stable topic right now, since it's before the semester starts. I already talked to the head of my department, and he gave me the go ahead to start researching early and gave me the guidelines. For now, my topic will be on how myths, specifically those about demons, shaped the region of Galar. So, Raiju is one expert I can visit since he dedicated his life to these kinds of myths. Professor Sonia is defiantly a person of interest, because she rediscovered a story that was long forgotten. And visiting The Gateway Lake, the Stone of Destiny, and Demon Cave is on the top of my list. The Gateway Lake is said to be a gateway to all sorts of places like the Ghost World and the fae world, the place where the Fylgja reside, the Stone of Destiny was supposedly created in the fae world and would sing in the presence of a true king, and the Demon Cave is a cave the supposedly connects to, well, the demon world, and was the location of a historic battle in myth." Melissa effused.

After a while, Joshua began to tune out her rambled after a certain point. She was going on to explain how the fae world and demon world were somehow linked to each other in mythology, but he was more interested in his feather.

Raihan, on the other hand, was listening to everything she was saying with an intense look on his face. Leon and Gordie seemed to be half-listening as well, while Lilac and Hop had broken off from the whole conversation to play patty-cake.

"Hey, guys, when we get to Motostoke, do you two want to team up and travel together? You have to go to Route 3, the Galar Mine, and Route 4 to get to Turffield. I can't speak for Affray, but I'll text him to see if he's willing. Personally, I think it's better to travel as a group than alone. Especially when searching for Pokémon Dens." Daphne suggested.

"Pokémon Dens?" Joshua echoed.

"Did you actually check out the Y-comm app? Pokémon Dens are where you find Dynamax Pokémon. There needs to be a total of four trainers to take it on. Oh, but there's a rumor that if you don't have enough people, mirage trainers manifest. Of course, I know they're not really mirage trainers, but just people who were hired to work in the Pokémon Dens. If there aren't four trainers in a den, an alert is sent out to the officials in charge of this, and a Natu or Ralts send over a specialized trainer to help. But… I don't know why four trainers are needed… My mom never explained that part. All she said is that if I'm Braviary eyed, I would understand."

"Oh, interesting! I would love to travel with you two! Although, I want to make a little detour in the Wild Area before that. The Y-comm said that Den 37, the Dragon-type den, is all the way near the Meetup Spot. Since I want to be a dragon tamer, it's important that I go there! My dad gave me a special gem that only works in the Watchtower Ruins. I wonder why that is..." Noiritta chimed in.

"Ah, it doesn't matter! I'll happily go on the detour with you, Noiritta! So, even if Affray refuses to travel with us, which I secretly hope he does, the three of us can travel together, and we can find some other fourth member. It's going to be great to have some camping buddies!" Joshua exclaimed as a wide grin spread across his face. He was ready for whatever grand adventure the three of them could find together.

* * *

**Joshua's new Pokémon:**

**Rookidee [Name: Areadbhar] [Gender: Female] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Dream Ball] [Sire: Hoothoot] [Dam: Rookidee] – Knows moves up to level 6 / Impish nature/ Keen Eye ability**

**Chewtle [Name: Gungnir] [Gender: Female] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Poké Ball] [Sire: Avalugg] [Dam: Drednaw] – Knows moves up to level 7 + Skull Bash/ Adamant nature/ Strong Jaw ability**

**Daphne's new Pokémon:**

**Zigzagoon [Name: Keiko] [Gender: Female] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Love Ball] [Sire: Zigzagoon] [Dam: Zigzagoon] – Knows moves up to level 6 / Hardy nature/ Gluttony ability**

**Affray's new Pokémon:**

**Wooloo [Name: N/A] [Gender: Male] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Poké Ball] [Sire: Wooloo] [Dam: Wooloo] – Knows moves up to level 5 / Docile nature/ Run Away ability**

* * *

**Additional Tidbit: The Stone of Destiny is a mash up of two famous rocks in the UK. The Stone of Scone, which a replica of resides near Edinburgh, the place Motostoke is based off, and the Coronation Stone of Tara, which is in Ireland and will cry out beneath the king who took the throne in Ireland. In this universe, it sings in the presence of a true king, so it's usually associated with Calyrex awakening. The stone has been quite for centuries, so now it's assumed that only Calyrex can cause it to sing, but there hasn't been a 'true' king in Galar for centuries, so no one knows if it'll only sing for Calyrex. There are rumors that fly about that if the king or queen of the fae race, a race who supposedly made the stone, appears before it, the stone will sing.**


	7. Chapter 6: Message from an Old Friend?

**A/N: This is another long chapter with a lot of things in it. Next chapter is shorter, and just a training chapter and a set up chapter. After that, the opening will be featured, and after that, there's only one hard time limit, which means the chapters will probably be slower pace and more meandering. **

**I took a bit of a hiatus because of school, but I did write a base for chapter 7-11, so the next chapters shouldn't take too long for those to come out. Except maybe chapter 9 and chapter 10, because chapter 9 is description heavy while chapter 10 marks an important turning point in the next three to four chapters. I've yet to start chapter 12, but the story is still a little bit away from the first Gym Badge. Chapter 13 should be the first chapter that switches POV, since the main group will finally get together.**

**Also, SYOC are still opened!**

**Joshua's Pokémon:**

**Nickit [Name: Purswipe] [Gender: Female] [Description: She has a lighter red fur, closer to that of a Growlithe or Arcanine, than most of her species, as well as slightly fluffier fur] [Poké Ball: Premier Ball] – Knows moves up to level 7 + Howl and Swift / Mild nature/ Unburden ability**

**Rookidee [Name: Areadbhar] [Gender: Female] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Dream Ball] – Knows moves up to level 6 / Impish nature/ Keen Eye ability**

**Chewtle [Name: Gungnir] [Gender: Female] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Poké Ball] – Knows moves up to level 7 + Skull Bash/ Adamant nature/ Strong Jaw ability**

**Noiritta's Pokémon:**

**Dreepy [Name: Flitter] [Gender: Male] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Quick Ball]– Knows moves up to level 5 + Round, Dragon Tail, and Sucker Punch/ Modest nature/ Clear Body ability**

**Melissa's Pokémon:**

**Yamper [Name: N/A] [Gender: Male] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Premier Ball]– Knows moves up to level 8 / Rash nature/ Ball Fetch ability**

* * *

Chapter 6: Message from an Old Friend?

Joshua eyes slowly opened as he found himself in a patch of soft and plushy build moss. The vibrant green contrasted with the bleak grays and browns of his surroundings. Blinking slowly, he realized he was under a stony outcrop, rain gently hitting the top of the stone that protected him from the freezing droplets. The wind that usually came with such rain was absent, and the clearing he was in was devoid of any plant life for about a few inches. Sitting up in wild and unnatural bed, Joshua smiled as he felt as if this was nostalgic somehow. Unlike the suffocating darkness of the tunnel, the darkness of this cool, yet still, night made him feel at ease.

_It's a good night for hunting. _Joshua observed, but the thought made him pause with unease. The thought had never occurred to Joshua before. The thought was a cruel relic of the past; a word that had fell out of practical use in world he lived in. Since people didn't rely on Pokémon for food anymore, their meat was made in a lab, no one really hunted.

_Hunting? What am I hunting?_ Joshua asked himself, his shoulders shifting slightly, as he tried to force the disturbing thoughts away. It didn't matter what he was hunting. Even the thought of hunting a living being made him feel anxious.

Trying to rid himself of the thought, Joshua crept out of the soft, mossy bed and peered into the darkness of the surrounding forest. The soft tones of the moonlight shone down on the grayish colored scenery before him. Blinking, Joshua realized he could see in the dark. It was a new feeling. Joshua couldn't recall ever being able to see past the inky blackness of night. Before now, the dark was always obstructing his sight, which was a source of anxiety when he slept in his room without the nightlight.

Deciding to think of this a blessing of dreams, he peered deeply into the trees. When he did, he caught the sleek movement of a Pokémon with long legs, a graceful muzzle, and a long tail rushing through the forest. The canine Pokémon stopped a short distance away, and looked at Joshua, its bright amber eyes reflecting in the eerie darkness. The creature opened its muzzle, and began to try and talk, but only harsh snarls and growls were released..

Although, the sounds were unintelligible, Joshua leaded in closer, a wild and primal urge surging through him. The tongue felt so familiar, yet so distant. Joshua wanted to understand the creature. Its voice filled him with a kind of feeling that he had never felt before, a fierce hunger to be one with nature.

"I can't understand you, but I want to! Please, tell me who you are?" Joshua cried, even though he figured none would come. To his surprise, the creature was able to reply in his language.

"I am the one who seeks you out. When the time comes, you will learn of my name, but for now, know that you'll soon be called upon to lead. But, you must be careful, decedent of the knight Gladwyn. Your path to leadership will be fraught with danger and peril," the canine said.

For a moment, Joshua just stared at the beast. He knew better than to just go along with whatever this beast was saying. Dream or not, he knew he did not want to be a leader.

"Leadership? But, I don't want to be a leader. It means taking responsibility and risking others. I'm not suited for that. Besides, being a leader isn't my goal. I just want to battle the Gym Leaders and go on my journey." Joshua rebutted.

"And then what? After you beat the Gym Leaders and Eugene, then what? What's left to do in your life?" the canine asked coolly, but with a sharp undertone. Flinching at the direct question, Joshua began to unconsciously back away into the bed of moss.

"I don't know…," Joshua admitted, "I'll decide that when the time comes. But, if I become a leader, I'll just screw it up. I'll needlessly put others' lives in danger. I know myself well enough to understand I can't lead,"

Dipping its massive head, the canine backed away. Its voice now became kindly again.

"Oh, Joshua, you don't give yourself enough credit. You're better than you know, and I hope that you come to see that in time," the canine said before turning around and walking deeper into the darkness.

Joshua watched as the canine trotted into the darkness, beyond his view. Shaking his head, he couldn't help but feel the Pokémon was wrong. Him? Lead? It would be unprecedented.

Whenever there was a problem, he would look to Raihan for guidance. To be a leader, Joshua knew you had to be wise and be able to dictate your thoughts to other. Joshua had neither of those two qualities and he knew it. In a group, he was best suited for a supporting role. The one who kept everyone from each other's throats and the one who would sooth out any problem others had with the leader. Whenever he was the leader, the group would dissolve into infighting and the teacher would always have to break it up.

Sighing heavily, he curled up in the mossy bed and closed his eyes. The darkness of sleep welcomed him, and he slowly drifted away from his racing mind.

It wasn't too long before he heard the forceful pounding of hoof beats that startled him awake.

Quickly flipping over to protect himself against the new threat, his eyes scanned the new surroundings as his heart rapidly beat against his chest.

Joshua quickly grasped that he was at the bottom of a sandy gulf near a raging sea. The raging wind carried the bitter salt as it pounded against him and carried the stinging mist of saltwater to Joshua's face and directly into his mouth. The harsh sea salt from the wind soiled his mouth, and the roaring crash of the crystal blue waves stung his ears. Groaning, Joshua pressed himself against the rocky overhang behind him to shelter for the rampant sea. As the sea pounded nearby, Joshua turned his face to the sky, and noticed another rocky outcrop across from him. He could just barely make out two silhouettes. One was a human and the other was a beast that Joshua couldn't even register at first because it was so bizarre.

At first, Joshua had assumed that it was only a Sawsbuck in its autumn form. But, upon closer inspection, it had features that Joshua had never seen before on a Sawsbuck, such as a huge set of light purple, close to blue, wings resting neatly on its back. Instead of having the standard hind limbs, its hind legs were these big, bulky black bird feet with yellow talons. And trailing behind it was twin black, feathered tail with bright pink fire underneath the feathers.

_Those features seem to be from the Legendary Galarian Pokemon, Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres. But… I've never seen this kind of Sawsbuck before. How did it get like that? _Joshua concluded as he craned his neck to get a better look. The harsh winds threatened to knock him back, but Joshua fought against them to see the strange creature. In front of it stood a familiar person. Racking his brain, he tried to think, but the answer to came to him, almost as if someone whispered it into his ears.

It was Affray! Putting his arm over his eyes to block the wind, he strained his ears to hear the conversation. Joshua could barely catch snippets of the situation as the two talked.

"The Audley family name… more important… would die..." Joshua heard Affray say.

The weird Sawsbuck simply stared at him and spread its wings. Its feathers sparkled in the sunlight as they refracted some of the sunlight. To Joshua's surprise, he actually heard the full words the weird Pokémon spoke.

"That promise you made years ago has sealed your fate. You must give up your heart to save your family and Galar. There is no other way," the weird Sawsbuck said, his eyes shifting over to Joshua and narrowing.

Gulping down the stinging air, Joshua shrunk back in an effort to avoid the piercing gaze. From his hiding place, Joshua heard Affray speak clearly, almost as if it was directly in his head.

"I understand, Furfur. In order to protect my family, I will follow your orders. The family's Flygja has always led us in the right direction, and I will trust you," Affray said.

_Furfur? Is that the strange Pokémon's name… _Joshua panicked as the Pokémon turned its sharp gaze towards him and bleated. Inside its mouth were a row of sharp teeth. With a few flaps of its large wings, the creature took off and flew directly over him. In attempt to avoid the monster, Joshua pressed himself against the rough rock wall. He heard the power behind its wings as they shoved the raging winds away as if the rugged gales didn't exist. Feeling dread and fear keep into him, Joshua covered his mouth as he watched it fly off.

_That monster is Affray's Fylgja?! Just being near that thing is terror-inducing… _Joshua thought as he continued to hide from the monster. The monster let out another harsh bleat, and he heard the terrible wingbeats getting closer. Closing his eyes, and crouching closer to the ground, Joshua struggled to keep hidden from the beast. But, the wingbeats were getting closer, and closer, and closer, until they were right above him. Shivering and expecting the worse, he was suddenly jolted out of the situation and into a dark in-between place.

"Joshua! Joshua! For the love of everything, wake up!" a familiar voice screeched out to him, and he soon felt a soft, cushy, yet suffocating, pillow land on his face. Startling him awake, Joshua awoke to soft, fabric induced darkness.

"I'm awake Lilac! You can stop trying to kill me now!" Joshua yelled, taking the pillow from his face.

"I wasn't going to kill you!" Lilac retorted, taking the pillow from his face. Looking at his sister, he saw that her eyes were round with worry, and her face was red and wet. "I was just scared because you went all cold and you were shivering. You were breathing so little, too. And you usually snore like crazy. I even bit you, and you didn't wake up."

Looking at his right forearm, he saw the impression of his sister's teeth and his skin went cold. He still felt fatigued, as if he didn't sleep at all last night. Something weird was going on.

_Did I almost die? Was I transported somewhere? Or were those just dreams? _Joshua asked himself. Sighing he sat up in his bed and flashed his sister a reassuring smile.

"I'm fine. I won't die so easily. Anyways, wake Noiritta up please. We have to get to the train station soon," Joshua said as he tried to shake his unease off. Something about those dreams didn't sit quite right with him. They weren't prophetic like he had heard of many heroes had. The dreams felt too real to be something abstract like that. He actually had agency in them, and it felt like he was actually in the area.

Looking at him with doubt filled eyes, Lilac left the room. Ignoring the dreams for now, Joshua got out his bed and went to get ready for the train ride.

!*~*~*~*!

Joshua yawned as he sat down on the red chair in the train station. Raihan, Lilac, and Noiritta were waiting with him. It was almost 9 o'clock and everyone had agreed to meet here. Noiritta sat next to him, her eyes glazed over as she stared into the distance. There were a few people milling about, getting train tickets to Motostoke.

Joshua spotted fairly young children dressed up in the official challenger outfit, obviously proud of their outfits as they pretended to be having a battle. They were practicing throwing their imaginary Poké Ball, as a helper female Indeedee clapped for them.

"Mom, look, I can throw my ball just like Eugene does on the pitch! Go, Hammerstomp!" the kid yelled, throwing his imaginary ball sideways.

Feeling a sting of irritation, Joshua stood up and unhooked his Premier Ball. He never liked Eugene, and the apology letter he had to give him after dinner yesterday had just cemented his dislike of him. Joshua felt personally insulted by the fact that this kid even liked Eugene. Deciding to enact some petty revenge on Eugene, he decided to make it his goal to show this kid that Eugene isn't all he's cracked up to be.

Releasing his Nickit in front of the kid, the little kid's eyes were drawn towards the Nickit. With a gasp of delight, the little kid rushed to pet Purswipe, scratching her behind her ear. Cooing at the attention, Purswipe leaned into the little kid's hand in an effort to get more attention. Looking up at Joshua, the child smile at him.

"Hey, kid, is this your Pokémon? Are you competing in the Gym Challenge?" the kid asked.

"Yeah, the name is Joshua, and I'm going to be the beat Eugene with my partner, Purswipe." Joshua bragged, pride radiating from him. He wanted everyone to know just how special Purswipe was.

"Mmmhhh, that sounds nice. If I was older, I would follow you on Voltbug, but my mom said I'm too young to be going on sites like that. I'm only seven, but when I reach the age of ten, I'm going to compete. I even decided that my starter will be a Grookey! Just like the one Eugene chose," the kid exclaimed as he gave a carefree smile.

"You don't need to pick Pokémon based off what someone else chose. Once you pick a partner, it's your partner for life, so do it with care. When I met Purswipe, she and I ended up protecting each other from a raging Dubwool. We were a team from the start, and I don't think anything can separate us," Joshua recounted.

"But, if you want to defeat Eugene, you must be picking your team out to beat him. How is picking your starter due to the influence of someone else any different?"

The question shot through Joshua like a heat seeking arrow. For a moment, he was too shocked to answer. The kid in front of him was right. How was picking your team any different from picking a starter due wanting to have a head start over someone else? In fact, he had almost chosen a Scorbunny for that exact reason! Biting his lips, he tried to defend himself.

"It's different because you only get one starter. When you see it, you know it's the right one for you," Joshua muttered.

To his relief, a new voice entered the conversation. Daphne.

"That's not completely true. I chose Buttercup because she chose me. At first, I was afraid of her, and I still am to be honest, but she chose me, and I couldn't deny her feelings. Picking a starter Pokémon is completely different than just catching a wild one. The first Pokémon I caught was-"

As she spoke, Joshua heard the familiar release sound and turned around to see Keiko had popped out of her ball, again. Keiko stood next to Daphne, her tongue lolling in amusement.

"Wow, a Zigzagoon! It's even smart enough to know when you're talking about it! I want a Pokémon that's as amazing as that!" the kid exclaimed, as he walked over to Keiko and began to pet her. Keiko cooed and shook her fur in pure delight.

"You can call her Keiko. She's… special. I haven't had a battle with her yet, but she's ready for one." Daphne said.

The boy smiled and stood up, clenching his fists and smiling.

"When I'm older, I want to challenge you to a battle! But, I don't have my own Pokémon yet, so I can't..." the boy lamented.

"Hopefully we can enjoy a battle soon. Even though you're still just a kid, you can battle for fun. So, when we get Motostoke, you can perhaps borrow your mom's Pokémon and we can have a battle." Daphne suggested.

The little boy beamed. "If we see each other. If we do, I can battle you with the Pokémon my mom was fostering!"

"It's a date then! Come Joshua, we have to meet up with the others. The train's about to arrive!" Daphne lead the way as to where everybody was.

While they were talking, everyone had arrived and were now all sitting and talking together. Lilac was all over Eugene as usual, talking to him in a rather giddy, and ecstatic voice. While Raihan was good at hiding his infatuation with someone, Lilac was almost the opposite due to being so young.

"Eugene, it's so cool that you're allowed to go to the meeting with all the Gym Leaders, Elite Four, and Champions. It must be nerve-wracking to be in a meeting with such famous people." Lilac sympathized.

"You mean Lance and the like? I have to admit, it _is_ a little scary to have to go through that process at such a young age, but, Tate and Liza did it, as did Allister, so I think I'll be fine," Eugene reassured.

"Process? Raihan just said there was a meeting and Bede would be watching me. Is the meeting for you?"

"Well, for Marine and I. Since we just took on important ranks, the top members of the Pokémon League are inviting us to a briefing. From the Gym Leaders to the Frontier Brains, we'll be surrounded by high profile people. Everyone will be there, except for one person. That person will be the designated survivor in case something happens to everyone and they have to rebuild the league from the ground up. Piers probably volunteered. He said he never wanted to see Hop nor I ever again, since we seem to cause nothing but trouble."

"I wish I could come see you get the briefing… it sounds like a ton of fun. Instead I'm stuck with stuck-up Bede… And from what I've heard, he's no fun."

"Yeah… I wouldn't wish Bede on my worst enemy. But, since Raihan has to go and Bede isn't an official Gym Leader yet, he got stuck babysitting. But, hey, I'm sure that you'll get to see a lot of the powerful trainers before we have to go into the meeting! Like Glacia! She would probably like hanging out with you since she's trying for a baby with her husband."

_Glacia is going to have a baby?_ Joshua wondered as he sat across from the two and next to Noiritta who was softly whispering to someone beside her. Since there was no one beside her, Joshua just assumed it was another Fylgja.

"Noiritta, who are you talking to you?" Joshua asked, which caused her to flinch and blush as she turned to face him.

"O-oh, I was talking to Raihan's Fylgja. He was telling me that your Fylgja is acting a little strange… and that Affray's have completely disappeared. It's strange. It must have gone back to where it is originally from," Noiritta suggested.

_Ah, right… That dream! Maybe I could ask Noiritta about it! _Joshua thought, opening his mouth to ask her about his dream. Unfortunately, just as he was about to get the words from his mouth, the sharp whistle of the train pulling into the station sounded. Purswipe and Keiko stood up and perked their ears to listen for the peculiar sound. The whistle sounded again, and Purswipe let out a howl in tune with the whistle.

To Joshua's dismay, everyone began to scramble to get their luggage to make sure they were ready to get on the train. He decided it would have to wait until later to ask Noiritta about his dream.

The whistle sounded a third time, which made Zigzagoon drop down to all fours and give a sharp bark.

"Zig!" Keiko cried before darting behind Daphne. She let out a soft growl as her fur fluffed up as she examined the platform where the train just pulled into. Letting out a soft chuckle, Daphne crouched down to meet her Zigzagoon with a reassuring rub on the head.

"Don't worry, Keiko, it's just a train. The whistle is just to let us know that the train has arrived. You don't need to be frightened of its Keiko," Daphne cooed as she continued to rub Keiko's head. Giving a passive nod, Keiko crawled from behind Daphne, and gave the train a warning growl.

"It's 9 o'clock! The train will begin boarding now and will leave the station at 9:15! This train will go all the way to Motostoke," the loudspeakers announced.

Fixing his bag so that it was fitting snugly on his shoulder, Joshua showed the conductor his ticket, and entered the train with his Nickit. Taking a window seat by the front, he waited patiently for the others to file onto the train. The first person in after him was Affray, who took it upon himself to sit in the train section across from Joshua. Once Affray was settled down, he flung open his backpack, and took out a notebook and a pencil. He didn't hesitate to begin to scribble down notes in his book. The sharp sound of the graphite pencil scrapping against the clean, white paper filled the quite train.

_He really needs a better hobby if the first thing he thinks about is doing math… _Joshua rolled his as he took out a book on myths that he had recently bought in the bookstore.

The cover looked as if someone had taken lapis lazuli in its powdered form and smeared it onto the uneven book. The cover of the book featured a grizzly looking Grimmsnarl clinging on top of a rock that a young boy was hiding behind. It had its nose raised as if sniffing out the boy to eat, its sharp teeth exposed and ready to rip into the boy if it found him.

Above the dramatic picture was the title, _The Encyclopedia on Obake (The True Name of Demons, Fae, and Other 'Mythical Beast')._ Below the picture was the author. Raiju Holloway.

_Holloway…? That's a name from Unova. It's probably a common name, but I can't help thinking of the Holloway who helped pave the way for Kristopher to make the Pokémon League… I wonder if they have any connection to each other._ Joshua questioned as he opened the book to a random page.

The picture his eyes gravitated to was one of a woman who was dress up like a Froslass. She had a kimono that was clearly inspired by the icy Pokémon, and her smile looked rather childlike and innocent. Her pale white hand was shown to be caressing an ice sculpture of a guy who clearly was in pain when he was frozen alive.

The page described the woman as a Yuki-onna, which roughly translated into "snow woman". It talked about how the Yuki-onna would find Pokémon and people that they personally like, freeze them, and then keep them in her lair forever. Yuki-onna was known to live alone and could transform themselves into Froslass. It says that normal Froslass are sometimes mistaken for doing this, but this isn't a very common behavior in the species. The book claims that any frozen person that people come across is probably frozen because of a Yuki-onna and not a Froslass. As far as demon threat levels were concerned, they ranked fairly high due to the fact they didn't care about causing human suffering and misery.

As he tried to read more on the Yuki-onna, Lilac took a seat next to him and traced the outline of the adjacent page. On the next page was a girl with Vivillion wings on her back. Above her was the name of her species: Psyche. Lilac smile as she admired the girl on the page.

"If I had a choice of what fae I could be, I would defiantly be a Psyche! They're so cute and helpful! The book even says that they're responsible for collecting souls for the Ghost World and helping to fulfil ghost's final wishes. Actually, saying that aloud now, I wonder if that ghost girl Eugene met had a Psyche that allowed her to come to earth," Lilac wondered aloud.

"Ghost… girl?" Joshua echoed, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

"Yeah, a ghost girl asked him to deliver a letter to her old friend. When Eugene went to give the letter to the guy, he talked about her as a childhood friend and letter was noticeably worn. And, when Eugene went back to check on the girl, she was gone!"

Deciding he had enough supernatural stuff for one day, Joshua promptly closed the book about Obake. Closing his eyes, he prepared to go to sleep. But, he felt that Lilac was still looking at him. He could feel her curious gaze burrowing into him. Opening up his eyes, Joshua gave a rueful sigh.

"Yes?" Joshua prompted.

"Oh, I just wanted to read the book. Can I? Please?" Lilac begged, her light blue eyes shining brightly.

"Have at ya," Joshua said, sliding the book in front of her. Squealing in delight, Lilac began to flip through the beautiful blue books to look at the pictures. Leaning back, Joshua watched as the rest of their large group began to settle in for the long trip. Daphne and Hop were sitting with Affray. Daphne and Hop were busy talking to each other, with Hop making Daphne laugh as he imitated a Rhyhorn. Affray was being his usual self and ignoring them in favor of his paper.

Melissa walked in with Gordie, happily yapping to him about something, and blushing uncontrollably. Gordie had on a polite smile as he listened to whatever Melissa was talking about. Knowing her, it could range from something about myths to a scientific fact about fruit. The two sat in the booth behind where Affray was.

Raihan and Leon boarded next, with Leon giving Raihan a sympathetic smile as the latter pouted. Eugene and Freya followed close behind them; the two friends were engaged in a hushed discussion. As she continued to talk, Eugene walked ahead and waved her off. Giving a good-natured smile, Freya walked over to Joshua.

"What's up, Freya?" Joshua asked. He began to shift a little in his seat.

"The sky," she joked as she twirled her hair. "Ah, but seriously, I want you to come to the briefing with all the heads of the Pokémon League. A week after the Star Festival, the Pokémon League will be holding a meeting. It's sort of imperative that you and Affray come to the meeting. I can't say personally why you're being asked to come, but they asked Eugene and I to bring you."

Joshua was so surprise, words came out of his mouth faster than he could process them.

"Huh?! Why are we invited?! We're not even official Gym Challengers yet!" Joshua exclaimed before quickly covering his mouth. Glancing around to see if see if he had disturbed everyone, the only person who seemed startled was Lilac.

"I know that, but they didn't tell me why. Eugene, Marine, and I only have clearance for confidential. The information is classified as top secret, so they won't tell us yet. And that won't happen until our background checks clear, and we've been extensively monitored for a year." Freya leaned down and whispered directly into Joshua's ear. "Apparently, you have top secret clearance already. If we're asked to leave, something big is going on. Something that might be considered a threat to the security of the Pokémon World."

"How many people have top-secret clearance?"

"Over a million. It's hard to get, but not impossible if you have the right credentials. Anyways, they'll send over a private Pokémon to fetch you and bring you to the location. Don't worry about how they'll find you. They have their ways."

With that cryptic sentence, Freya left and took a seat next to Eugene, who sat across from Gordie and Melissa. Sonia finally boarded the train and took a seat next to Affray. Noiritta slid into the seat across from Joshua, getting the window seat, and Raihan and Leon followed.

"Okay, so we're almost ready to leave the station! Leon, did you set up that thing I asked you about?" Raihan asked with an edge to his voice, suggesting that it was important.

"The Lapras ferry? Yeah, I did. I already posted the news on Y-comm," Leon said.

Raihan rolled his eyes.

"No, the other thing."

"Oh, that? Yeah, it should be ready by time we get to Motostoke. Nurse Joy is looking after it right now, so there's no need to worry. All we have to do when we get there is look after it for a day or two."

While Joshua was a little curious about what they were talking about, he knew it was better not to pry. If they were talking so cryptically, it was probably because it was something Joshua didn't need to know about. Closing his eyes, Joshua drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

!*~*~*~*!

"We're sorry passengers, but due to an influx of Wooloo on the track, the train is being delayed at the Meetup Spot," a voice over the loudspeaker announced. Opening his eyes, Joshua yawned and stretched as he awoke from his nap. Rubbing his unfocused eyes, Joshua began to rouse himself out of restful nap.

"Awwww, that's a shame!" Eugene bemoaned, a little over dramatically. "Now, we're going to be stuck here for a while."

Rolling his eyes, Joshua leaned back into the chair and closed his eyes. Joshua saw zero reason to actually enter the Wild Area to actually walk to Motostoke. The Wooloo would eventually move off the track, and they could continue their train ride.

But, as he began to go back to sleep, Joshua felt a tug on his pants leg disturb him.

Opening his eyes again, he glanced down to see Purswipe was pulling at the bottom of his pants. She was growling a little as she tried her best to pull Joshua. Giving a slightly amused smile, Joshua couldn't help but admire his partner's gusto. Standing up, he gently shimmied around his sleeping sister, and out into the aisle with his bag.

_Oh, yeah, Noiritta wanted to go that den. We can go together now._ Joshua asked as he Noiritta drawing in his peripheral view.

"Noiritta, do you want to go find that den now? We can travel there on foot," Joshua offered. Looking up, Noiritta gave an excited smile and nodded.

"Yeah! Melissa can come too, if she wants! But, I think we can travel just fine on our own!" Noiritta said, as she put her drawing away and quickly followed after Joshua. "Oh, bye Daphne and Affray! We'll see you when we get there."

"Oh, we'll see you. But, we decided that if this happened, we wanted to explore the Wild Area as well. There's so many new Pokémon to see, and Affray said that he has a bunch of utility Pokémon he wants to catch there. Like Minccino and Delibird," Daphne said as she got her bag ready.

Nodding in acknowledgment, Joshua exited the train with Purswipe at his heel. He didn't want to wait for Affray to leave, since anytime they were together, that usually ended in a spat. And he figured a good head start would avoid a future spat.

Twitching her ears, Purswipe padded a little ahead of Joshua and lead him out of the train station and into open fields. The neatly trimmed grass before the wired fence let out a tangy smell. Tiny yellow flowers were growing across the cared for grass, and the white dandelions were waving in the wind, hoping to perhaps catch a helpful wind to guide them to their destination.

As Joshua took a few steps forward, he noticed a mass of rock move right outside the mesh fence. They were moving in synch with each other, and they seemed to be too big to be blown by the wind. Before Joshua could move to get a closer look, a gigantic Onix reared its head with a boulder in its mouth. It was quietly chewing on the gigantic piece of stone as it wiggled its body about.

_Hopefully, we're not heading that way._ Joshua thought as he began to walk to the fence.

"Hey, Joshua, we're heading left. The direction of the huge Onix," Noiritta said as she caught up to him.

Rolling his eyes, Joshua unhooked Gungnir's Poké Ball and released it from the Poké Ball.

"Chew!" it cried, bursting out of the white light.

Taking out his Premier Ball, he returned his Nickit, so as to not have a Pokémon unaccounted for. The last thing he needed was to have Purswipe try to help and get hurt in the process.

"Okay, bring Flitter out and we'll do our best to avoid the Onix, but if it comes down to a fight… I don't know. That thing looks tough," Joshua observed as he wearily observed it. The huge creature shook the stone with reckless abandoned and tossed it to the side with relative ease.

"We'll be fine. The Onix won't attack unless we disturb it. Besides, if we're not careful, there will be worst threats waiting for us further in. Let's just try to travel and train on the way," Noiritta suggested as she passed through the fence with her usual gait and strolled right passed the create as if it was a tiny Skwovet. Cautiously, the Onix watched as she walked by it before continuing to chow down on its rock.

Taking a deep breath, Joshua followed after Noiritta and passed by the creature. Gungnir trotted next to Joshua, her eyes narrowed as she let out a low, audible growl. _Come on, please just ignore it, Gungnir… _Joshua pleaded as they walked by the Onix. The Onix simply rose its head and watched as the pair walked by. Chewtle let out a clear snarled and snapped its little fangs at the graceful rock creature. Giving a yawn, the Onix moved away and ignored the Chewtle attempting to threaten it.

With the danger now over, Joshua sprinted to catch up to Noiritta who had her Rotophone out.

"Romimi, how close is Den 37?" Noiritta asked as she walked.

"You should get there within two and a half hours of walking at your pace. Just keep walking straight, and head south when you see a crevice. The den is active. The signal being broadcast is from Den 64, and Y-comm says this Pokémon signal is being emitted," the Rotophone said as it showed her a silhouette of a Pokémon. Looking over Noiritta's shoulder, Joshua saw a blob that looks like it had two pairs of antennae.

"That's a Goomy. I know that blob of cuteness anywhere! I was hoping to get a Noibat on my team, but I'll gladly take a cute Goomy!" Noiritta chimed.

Joshua nodded as he examined the meadow surrounding them. Flimsy trees were spread throughout the blanket mixture of vibrant greens and dusty patches of brown. A light breeze made the purple flowers in the field dance as they added to the color pallet of the meadow. The hills sloped lazily, making it feel as each step that they were taking was a mini adventure. Bramble and thickets decorated the landscape, giving it an added layer of mystery. Joshua didn't know if a Pokémon or monster was hiding behind the clump of plant life, and that invigorated him. He always loved a good surprise.

But, the beautiful scenery was being painted over by a gray shadow. The sun was covered behind a blanket of gray clouds. The trio walked on a dirt road that was carved by numerous humans and Pokémon using it as a sort of trail.

"Tle!" Gungnir cried as she suddenly bolted ahead of the pair. Joshua was about to call her back, but she quickly rushed back, chasing a purple bipedal Pokémon with what seemed to be brown shorts and shoes. It had three spikes on its head, "bandages" wrapped around its arms and waists, and deep amber eyes.

Noiritta paused as watched as Gungnir chased after the poor Pokémon with a curious look.

Taking out his phone, Joshua pointed it at the purple Pokémon.

_Tyrogue. The Scuffle Pokémon. Even though it is small, it can't be ignored because it will slug any handy target without warning. It is always bursting with energy. To make itself stronger, it keeps on fighting even if it loses._

"Alright, we can have a battle! Use Water Gun!" Joshua acquiesced. With a harsh cry, Gungnir jerked her head back before letting out a blast of water.

The torrent of water hit the Tyrogue, knocking it off its feet and send it careening onto the ground. With a groan, Tyrogue rose to its feet and charged at Gungnir, who simply kept her black eyes on her opponent.

As Tyrogue neared Gungnir, she leapt to her size, causing the baby Pokémon to rush right past her. Gungnir then turned her body around so that it was facing the Tyrogue.

"Okay, let's go! Tackle!" Joshua yelled, and Gungnir threw her whole weight into the Pokémon. With a pained cry, the attack connected, Tyrogue was sent crashing to the ground. Groaning, the Tyrogue stood up, even though it was shaking. He hissed in pain as he clenched his fist. Soon, an orange aura appeared on the Tyrogue as it let out a fierce battle cry.

"Tyrogue!" it yelled, charging forward with all its might.

"Water Gun!"

With little hesitation, Chewtle let loose another stream of water as she knocked the Pokémon back down. Crying in pain, the purple Pokémon hit the ground and closed its eyes in defeat.

"Okay, let's go Poké Ball!" Joshua yelled, unhooking a Poké Ball he bought earlier to catch Pokémon in the Wild Area. The sphere hit the Pokémon and absorbed it into a red light. Shaking three times, the Poké Ball made the familiar ding to signal the Pokémon was captured.

"Wow, that's pretty impressive. Are you going to nickname it now?" Noiritta asked as she began to walk off.

Joshua jogged to catch up with her, while his Gungnir just kept a light trot behind them, as they continued onto the Pokémon Den.

"No, I don't want to use it in battle. But, I do want to help raise it so that it can be stronger," Joshua said.

Joshua and Noiritta continued down the gently sloping hills as they made their way to the Pokémon Den. On the route, quite a few Pokémon challenged Joshua and Noiritta to battles, and the pair always successfully beat them back. Every Oddish, Budew, and Bunnelby that challenged them eventually found the pair to be too much of a hassle and run away once they got a taste of their Pokémon.

Joshua hummed quietly to himself as the pair came across a berry tree.

"Oh, wow, a berry tree! Come on, let's pick some Noiritta! If we pick some, we can get a good supply of berries to put in our Pokémon's food," Joshua said as he went over to the tree to shake the flimsy berry tree. The sound of a Poké Ball releasing a Pokémon caused him to stop and turn around. Dreepy gave a jovial grin as she rested on Noiritta's shoulder.

"Let Flitter handle this since he can float. It's time efficient and it allows us to survey the area, so we can make sure nothing sneaks up on us. Plus, we'll get more berries," Noiritta said.

"Good idea! Come on out, Areadbhar! Help Flitter collect the berries!" Joshua yelled, sending his Rookidee out.

The small bird landed on a branch on the tree and began to peck a weak steam that an Oran Berry was attached to. After a few jabs, the berry was severed from the tree, and it dropped onto the ground. Areadbhar carefully watch as it rolled onto the ground before hopping to another berry and beginning to peck that stem.

Deciding this was a good time to take a break, Joshua stretched and took a seat on a lone boulder. When he felt comfortable, he released all his Pokémon from their Poké Balls.

Purswipe yawned while Tyrogue leaned up against a tree, trying to gauge his surroundings. Gungnir gave Purswipe a friendly headbutt, causing Nickit to screech and dart away from Chewtle.

As Joshua began to drift off into his thoughts, a voice interrupted him.

"Hey, you two! I thought you two wanted to travel together!"

"Yamp! Yamper! Amp!"

Turing his head, Joshua saw Melissa running up to them, her Yamper leading her towards them, his tongue happily hanging out and his stubby legs were working a mile a minute to keep up. _Wow, Yamper is really good at finding things. Especially people._ Joshua observed as the yellow Pokémon slowed down and sat beside him and barked. He happily wagged his tail at his new discovery.

Melissa came to a stop next to Joshua. She furiously panting and visibly exhausted and it seemed like she had run quite a way to find Joshua.

Giving her a sympathetic look, he reached into his bag to hand her a bottle of water. Nodding her appreciation as she took the bottle, she unscrewed the cap and began to drink it. After a few seconds of downing the water, she took the half-empty water bottle from her lips, still panting, but panting significantly less. She wiped the water from her lips and stood up straight.

"You two just up and disappeared. When I asked Affray where you were, he clicked his teeth and told me he didn't know. Daphne was thankfully more helpful and told me you guys left the train. If I didn't have Yamper, I don't know how I would have found you," Melissa said, her eyes flickering about as she blinked rapidly.

"We're fine, Melissa! I've come a long way from the little kid who gets lost at the grocery store! Besides, the Wild Area have been fine! Noiritta and I have been training hard and now we're taking a break to get some berries for the Pokémon," Joshua reassured.

Nodding, Melissa sat down and relaxed near the rock Joshua sat on to calm down. Her Yamper walked over to Joshua's Pokémon to play with them, twitching its nose in a friendly manner. Purswipe gave him a jolly greeting by pawing playfully at the ground. But, instead of returning the greeting, Yamper growled and started sparking.

"Yamp! Yamp!" he cried and bolted at Purswipe.

Hissing, Purswipe ran away, her tail tucked between her legs. Chewtle and Tyrogue moved out of Yamper's way as it chased after Purswipe. Barking as if his instincts possessed him, the Yamper continue to chase after the poor Pokémon until a shadow knocked Yamper back.

Yipping in surprise, Yamper shook itself off and looked at what had attacked it. In front of Yamper was a Pancham with a bright red, torn cape. On the back of the cape was the number "1" in a big, golden font. Melissa took out her Rotophone and pointed it at it.

_Pancham. The Playful Pokémon. Wanting to make sure it's taken seriously, Pancham's always giving others a glare. But if it's not focusing, it ends up smiling. It chooses a Pangoro as its master and then imitates its master's actions. This is how it learns to battle and hunt for prey._

Joshua took note that this Pancham had a slight difference from the picture the Rotophone showed. It had a patch of pink fur on its cheeks, sort of like blush, but defiantly like the electric pouches of some Electric-types.

"There's a bio page for it already… It's wasn't born wild?" Melissa questioned as she switched over to its personal bio page.

_Nickname: None_

_Owner: None_

_Gender: Female_

_Nature: Adamant_

_Mark: Intense Mark_

_Ribbon(s): None_

_Last Held Item: None_

_Current Location: Released_

_Bio: This Pancham used to belong to a girl named Nancy. She was training to be a Breeder and bred this Pancham. Nancy focused on training Pancham how to work with other Pokémon to save trapped people and Pokémon from natural disasters like rockslides, and cave-ins. Nancy released Pancham to the Wild Area after she changed her career goal to be a Contest Star. Due to Pancham's personality, the Nurse Joy who helped it adapt to the wild gave it the Intense Mark, officially making it known as Pancham the Feisty._

"Oh, wow! If it's trained for natural disasters, it might be a good Pokémon to catch. I might have to go into dangerous places to get my information, so a well-trained Pokémon is exactly what I need," Melissa said as she began to fiddle in her bag for something.

Joshua looked back between her and the two Pokémon having a stare down. Glancing at Noiritta, who was distracted protecting the berries from wild Pokémon, Joshua decided to just make sure the Pokémon didn't fly at each other.

Purswipe cowered behind the Pancham, who was glaring fiercely at Yamper. His fur was electrified, and his hackles were raised. The usually playful Pokémon was now ready for a battle, his fierce instincts to attack Nickit taking over any sensibilities it had. With a fierce bark, Yamper leapt forward, his sharp teeth glowing silver and growing.

"That's Bite attack!" Joshua gasped. Like Dubwool, Yamper was now acting on his own, with no input from Melissa.

Narrowing its eyes, Pancham darted out the way of the attack, and retaliate by grabbing Yamper's tail. With relative ease, she lifted the Yamper off the ground and spun around in a circle, before throwing him against the tree. Yamper let out a pained yip as he fell to the ground. Growling, the Electric-type Pokémon charged itself up and barreled towards Pancham.

"Pan!" Pancham gasped right before Yamper hit her at full force. Groaning, Pancham placed her paw to the ground as yellow sparks flew around it. She seemed to be struggling to even move as Yamper continue to snarl at her. Yamper flattened his ear and lunged at the Pancham with an open mouth, his elongated teeth glowing silver again.

Unable to move through the paralysis, Pancham was opened to the attack and Yamper chomped down on her, causing Pancham to cry in pain. Holding her shoulder between his teeth, Yamper shoved its head down on the Pancham in a Tackle attack. Purswipe crouched in fear, her ears flattened, and her eyes widen in terror.

Having enough of Yamper's crude behavior, Joshua whistled. Yamper perked its ears up and let go of Pancham. Yamper came padding over to Joshua, its tongue lolling and his tongue wagging. It was almost like a complete 180 from how he was acting before.

"Ah, found it! Now- What happened?!" Melissa asked as she turned around to see Pancham was paralyzed just like Raihan was. She was holding a piece of bamboo shoot in her hand.

"Yamper got into a fight with Pancham and paralyzed it. It should be fine since the berries we're gathering include Cheri Berries." Joshua said. While Joshua was talking, Purswipe slunk over to him and hid behind him for protection.

"I'll take care of it since it was my Pokémon's doing. I should have been paying closer attention to it." Melissa sighed as she picked up the little cub Pokémon. The Pancham let out a weak cry of protest in her arms, but she was too paralyzed to move around too much. Heading over to her bag, Melissa pulled out a Paralysis Heal and sprayed it on her.

Soon, Pancham found herself able to move freely again. Grinning, Pancham hopped down from Melissa's arms and bowed to her, her red cape swishing freely behind her.

"Ah, this is an apology for Yamper. I really need to train it a little better..." Melissa said as she handed Pancham the bamboo shoot.

"Cham! Pan! Am!" she cried in delight as she took the bamboo and scarfed it down. "Pan cham am?"

Pancham titled her head at Melissa as she waddled closer.

"Uh, do you want to come with me?" Melissa asked.

"Cham!" Pancham said with a brisk nod.

"Glad to have you around, Pancham! Let's work together!" Melissa said, unhooking a Poké Ball and tossing it at the Pancham. The Pancham was absorbed into a bright red light, and with one harsh shake, the ball lit up green to signify capture.

Joshua picked up Purswipe and gave her a comforting hug. He could feel her heart was beating rapidly, and he couldn't exactly blame her. Not after Yamper chased after her. Cuddling up to him, Purswipe gave a little whine and nuzzled him. Sometimes, Joshua forgot she was just a baby.

"Okay, the berries are all picked! Let's get going!" Noiritta exclaimed.

Sighing, Joshua recalled all his Pokémon, minus Areadbhar, and prepared to continue walking. Melissa picked up the Poké Ball that contained Pancham while Noiritta went to collect berries. After everyone was ready, they began their trek towards the den. To Joshua's surprise, they managed to make it to the Pokémon Den by noon, with no more distractions.

A deep magenta beam of light was being projected into the air, and from about three miles away the beam of energy was visible. Out shoots of powerful energy swirled around the light, giving it a rather menacing glow. Joshua initially cowered away from it, unsure of what it was. But, unlike him, Noiritta just smile and got closer to it.

"This is the Dragon Den, as I call it. This light will transport all three of us to a special den once we touch it. I could send an alert out to see if anyone else wants to join in on the raid, but that would take way too long… So, instead, I want to just head into the den and capture a Goomy." Noiritta said cheerfully. "Oh, and then I want to see if the stone my dad gave me works. He said it's a Wishing Piece and that it would attract another Pokémon. I am praying for a Noibat this time! After all, it's only natural to want to catch your namesake, right?"

Without waiting for a response, Noiritta touched the light. In an instant, the light engulfed her, and she had disappeared from where she stood.

"Come on, Joshua. This should be fun, and you're in for one shock once you get there," Melissa hummed as she returned her Yamper and entered the den as well.

Sighing, Joshua called back Areadbhar and stood in front of the beam. Hesitantly, he put his hand out, a little unsure if he should touch the purple light in front of him. Being this close, Joshua could hear the light _woosh_ of the light as it shot into the sky. The soft light danced with itself in a rather hypnotizing way. On his hand, Joshua could feel a warm sense, kind of like the warmth he would feel when he would put his hand near an active lightbulb. Taking a soft breath, Joshua placed his hand into the light and soon he found himself enveloped in the soft pink light. The light wrapped around him and it felt restorative, like how the sun would feel on a warm spring day.

Soon, Joshua found himself sitting in a wide area that looked very similar to a cave.

A thick violet haze swirled throughout the cavern, obscuring the boundaries of the walls and making it hard to make out direct objects. Rocks litter the peripheral of the battlefield, around the giant Goomy that faced them. The Goomy narrowed its eyes as it wiggled its body. Glancing up, Joshua noticed that there was a black storm churning above them that looked almost like a hurricane. In the middle of the swirling gray clouds was a hole that looked like it led into abyss. Above the Goomy were three reddish-gray clouds that circled its antenna.

Joshua was brought back to focus when Goomy let out a loud, angry bellow. As the deafening roar assaulted his ears, Joshua covered his ears unconsciously and flinched.

_I guess their size isn't the only thing that changed! Those vocal cords are murderous! _Joshua mused grumpily, as he glared at the Goomy. Gritting his teeth slightly, Joshua unhooked his Dream Ball and sent out his Rookidee. In a bright pink flash, his Rookidee appeared and shot towards the sky. Soaring for a little bit, Areadbhar soon landed on Joshua's shoulder and began to bob her head up and down. Even though she was tiny in comparison to Goomy, she was still ready to give the battle everything she had.

"Joshua, once we send out our Pokémon, that's the only one you can have out. So, be careful," Melissa reminded. Unlatching her Poké Ball, she sent out Pancham and pointed her Rotophone at it. Glancing over it for a few heartbeats, she put her phone away.

Noiritta had already sent out Dreepy, who was hiding behind her back, its forefins on it head as it shook like a leaf blowing violently in the wind.

The person who had arrived to give the trio the fourth person was a Backpacker with a Clefairy.

With another roar, the Goomy tossed its head backwards and released a stream of blue and pink flame.

"Pancham, Mega Pucnh!" Melissa ordered.

With a nod, Pancham ran under the raging flame and pulled her first back. The fist began to glow a brilliant white, and Pancham leapt into the air. Before Goomy could respond, Pancham punched the Pokemon in the gut, causing Goomy to give a chocking response. Recovering from the pain, Goomy let its soft body rebound and push the Pancham away. Quick to recover, Pancham backflipped onto the ground and took a fighting stance. Giving a vicious growl, Pancham charged toward the Goomy again.

"Flitter, cover Pancham! Round!" Noiritta called out. Shooting off towards the Goomy, Dreepy shot past Goomy like a bullet, startling the Dragon-type. Dreepy flew by again, this time on the other side, causing Goomy to turn to where he was. As Goomy tried to keep up, Dreepy kept doing his acrobatic flybys. Finally getting sick of his games, Goomy let loose a point-blank stream of water at the Dreepy. Dreepy simply twirled around the high-power blast of water, expertly avoiding it and keeping up with it.

When Goomy finally stopped its Water Gun, Dreepy floated down in front of Goomy's face and stuck his tongue out at it.

Growling, clear frustration very visible on its face, Goomy opened its mouth. As it did, a giant water ball began to form in its mouth.

"Dree!" Dreepy squeaked and ducked closer to the ground. Opening his mouth, he aimed shock waves at the ground, obscuring the battlefield in a huge cloud of dust.

"That's your cue, Areadbhar. Lead them through the dust field," Joshua whispered. Nodding, Areadbhar shot forward and headed into the dust storm.

Undeterred by the concealing dirt, the Goomy allowed the concertation of water of to bust and fly towards Dreepy. Before Dreepy could even cry let out a pitiful cry, the surge of water hit it and knocked it to the ground. The attack quickly evaporated and as it did, dark gray clouds began to from and a harsh boom could be heard from above. Just before Joshua could let out a warning of incoming rain, the floodgates open, and torrential downpour of rain drenched all the people in the cave.

Joshua couldn't help but cough and sputter as the water streamed into his mouth and made his clothes cling to him. He shivered as the water stuck to his skin, and the sudden draft in the draft made his skin prick. The rain drenched his hair, which hung down his face and partially obscured his vision. Joshua was now cold and miserable, and desperately wanted this battle to be over by now.

The rain allowed for dust to dissipate, but the Pokémon were already gone. Bracing himself against the rain, Joshua tried to catch a glimpse of the Pokémon. But, they were already well hidden.

"Goomy?!" the Goomy gasped as it frantically scanned its surroundings for movement. Joshua couldn't see anything, so he was relying on Areadbhar to lead him the attack.

"Hone Claw, Areadbhar! Then have a quick follow-up with Peck!" Joshua yelled.

"Clefairy, use Dazzling Gleam!" the Backpacker order.

"Flitter, Dragon Tail!"

"Pancham, Drain Punch!"

From behind one of the rocks, Areadbhar hurled herself towards at Goomy, her beak glowing silver. Even though she was coming from its side, Goomy saw her and turned to face her. Jerking its head backwards, it released another blue and pink energy towards Areadbhar.

The blast was too close to doge, and it hit Areadbhar straight on. Joshua's heart dropped as he watched Areadbhar begin to fall from the sky. Ignoring the uncomfortable clinging of his clothes to his skin, Joshua ran through the rain and towards the little bird plummeting to the sky. Rushing through the oncoming rain, Joshua caught his falling Pokémon. The light, limp body felt heavy in his arms as she plopped down into his little hand. Blinking, her third eyelid wiped away all the water and she gave a weak tweet as she righted herself in his palms.

Since Goomy was distracted by the attack, it didn't notice that Flitter was shooting towards it rapidly; his tail was covered in a giant green energy with visible scales, making the new constructed tail look like a reptilian in nature. Flitter sidelined the Goomy and knocked his energy tail into the soft creaturee with a sharp blow. Wasting no time, Pancham began to scale the massive Pokémon as a green orb formed around her fist. Leaping into the air, Pancham withdrew her first, before the green energy covered her arm in a swirling cyclone, and she let her fist fly in an arch above her head. Goomy cried in pain as the punch made contact with Goomy's smooth skin.

"Me!" it cried, tumbling backwards.

In response, Clefairy placed its hands in front and a rainbow-colored orb began to form in front of its hands. With a strained cry, Clefairy pushed its paws forward and rainbow light beams sprung from the static orb and converged onto the Goomy. Goomy screeched as the light beams landed a direct hit on its face.

With a final, soft cry, Goomy fell forward and a sudden explosion erupted from below Goomy. As the gale force winds blew through out the hollow, and the booming noise broke through the silence, Joshua tightly held onto his Rookidee. Closing his eyes against the bright flare, the violent wind threatened to knock him off his feet. A familiar voice snapped Joshua back to attention, making his eyes flutter open.

"Joshua, we can _all_ throw a Poké Ball now! It's weak!" Noiritta explained as she prepared her Poké Ball. The Poké Ball looked different though. It was black with a red middle and golden button. The top portion of the ball darker yellow lines surrounding a solid red line.

Holding her Poké Ball with both hands, the Poké Ball grew to a massive size and turned into a Premier Ball with little squares circling around it.

A little confused, Joshua placed his Rookidee on his shoulder and unhooked his Poké Ball. Without any input from him, it began to grow as well, causing him to stumble forward with it. Glancing at Melissa, he could see that she already had her ball ready. Taking a deep breath, Joshua took his now beach ball size Poké Ball within both his hand, raised it over his head, and chucked it.

Three giant Premier Balls hung in mid-air as the absorbed the Pokémon below into the ball with a glowing red light. Once they had absorbed the giant Pokémon, they fell to the ground with a loud thud and created an indent in the ground. The large Poké Balls gave three massive shakes, before they shrunk back down to normal size to reveal two normal Poké Balls, and Noiritta's Poké Ball. A rather weary Goomy was slumped over, but it soon opened its eyes and looked around. With no prompting, the Goomy scuttled away before anyone could catch it.

Joshua blinked in surprise as it scampered away.

_Why is there a Goomy left even though we caught it? Actually… can three people catch one Goomy? I might be bad at math, but this obvious disparity is clear. _Joshua pondered. Shaking his head, Joshua picked up the Poké Ball that now held his new Pokémon.

As he bent down to pick it up, he noticed that there was a hoard of treasures around it. There was a TR marked TR 62 and a label that had "Dragon Pulse" written on it, a Grepa and Mango Berry, one Rare Bone, and several odd-looking candies. One of the candies was an uneven red sphere with red rectangles rising from the surface. The candy reminded Joshua of the classic representation of a virus. The other candies were light blue, but Joshua noted that they came in two sizes.

Counting carefully the orbs, Joshua counted seven of the small blue candies, and two of the bigger ones. Placing the candies in a small pocket on his bag, Joshua also put the TR, berries, and Rare Bone in his bag as well. Once that was done, he hooked his Poké Ball.

_This makes… five Pokémon so far. I can only carry around one more Pokémon. So far, I don't think I'm going to be permanently using them. _Joshua thought as he waited for the others to finish collecting their items. Areadbhar tweeted sweetly as she hopped up and down on Joshua's shoulder.

Once the other two were done, Joshua looked around to see if there was someplace they could easily exit.

"It's this way Joshua." Noiritta said, noticing him searching the area, "Once we go through this light, we'll leave. Unfortunately, it won't feel like how it did when we entered the den. Entering the den revitalizes you. Sort of like the famous hot springs of Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh region." Noiritta pointed towards a glowing light similar to the one that brought them there, showing Joshua the way out.

Giving a nod of acknowledgement, Joshua walked over to the light and touched it. This time, he just blacked out for a moment, and found himself facing the ever-expanding meadows of Rolling Fields.

Noiritta and Melissa materialized next to Joshua, alongside their Pokémon. Pancham and Flitter danced about as they celebrated their victory.

"Dree dree dree!"

"Cham! Pancham!"

"Alright, let's have lunch before I put the Wishing Piece in. I'll make some curry for lunch," Noiritta offered as she prepared to cook the meal. While she did, she released her new Goomy.

"Okay, come on out everyone! Break time!" Allen yelled, releasing everyone from their Poké Balls. His Goomy and Tyrogue looked around while Purswipe laid down. Gungnir stood guard over the area, its body stiff as it stared out over the hills. Areahbhar flew off of Allen's shoulder and went over to keep watch on Gungnir's back.

Taking out his phone, Joshua pointed his phone at Goomy.

_Goomy. The soft tissue Pokémon. Their horns are powerful sensors. As soon as Goomy pick up any sign of enemies, they go into hiding. This is how they've survived. Because most of its body is water, it will dry up if the weather becomes too arid. It's considered the weakest dragon Pokémon._

_Okay, so this Goomy knows Absorb, Tackle, Water Gun, Dragon Breath, and Protect. It has the Gentle nature and is also a male._ Joshua recounted silently as he turned his phone to Noiritta's Goomy. _Same attacks, but its nature is Calm and it's female. What's going on here? Didn't we catch the same Pokémon?_

Instead of pondering the answer himself, he turned to ask Melissa who had just released her Pokémon to join in on the fun.

"Melissa, do you know why we were all able to catch a Goomy? And why aren't they the same Pokémon if we all caught one?" Joshua asked.

"Hmm, I wonder," Melissa cooed, putting her finger under chin with a smile. "Was there only one Goomy? We each caught one, but there was one left. The person with the Clefairy didn't catch one. So, what do you think?"

It didn't take Joshua long to catch onto her line of thinking.

"There were four Goomy projecting one big one? And because there were four different Goomy, we each caught a different one? But, why would there need to be four different Goomy? Shouldn't one be able to Dynamax on its own?" Joshua questioned.

"You're guesses are correct. As for why are there four different Goomy, let me answer that with a question of my own. How does a Pokémon Dynamax?"

"Well, your Dynamax Band makes a Pokémon big. Without it, a Pokémon couldn't Dynamax. I assume you're trying to say that a Pokémon can't Dynamax without help. So, the four Goomy teamed up to create the illusion."

"Exactly. Raihan was explaining this all yesterday during dinner, and honestly, it's super fascinating. There's also something unique about wild Dynamax battles. Apparently, the Pokémon are always a fair match to whomever they're battling. Raihan said that he's seen Dynamax Pokémon give top trainers problems, only to see the Pokémon be defeated by a novice with a beginner Pokémon. He suggests that they align their skills to each trainer because they want to be captured, but only by those with potential. Even with them aligning their skills to a trainer's skill level, defeating them is no easy feat."

"Wow! So, if I were to battle a Gigantamax Pokémon, I would have a chance?! Man, just hearing that gets me pumped to battle and see one!"

"Well, you could make it so that your Y-Comm sends you notifications on when a Gigantamax Pokémon appears in a Pokémon Den. Have you even opened the app to check it out?"

Shaking his head, Joshua took out his phone again and opened up the app. What greeted him was a map of the Wild Area. It showed a generic little human avatar sprite next to the den where everybody was resting beside. Clicking on the den, information about it popped up.

The den would normally teleported trainers to different locations, one den called Den 37, and another called Den 64. Both dens were reported to have Dragon-type Pokémon. Supposedly Den 37 was the more common one to be teleported to and had a different light than Den 64, which is where Noiritta and him found Goomy. Clicking back to the Wild Area map, Joshua picked another random den site in the area marked Giant's Seat.

This den was apparently unique because it housed a den that could have two different types of Pokémon. Usually dens would house one type of Pokémon, like Normal-types or Water-types. But, the rare den, in this case, Den 83, could house either Rock-types or Ice-types. No one knew the criteria for what Pokémon would open up its Den to trainers, and it was still being researched.

When Joshua was younger, he once heard a rumor that it had to deal with what phase of the moon you were born under. If it was a waxing or full moon, you'd be invited to the Ice-type den. If it was a waning or new moon, you'd be invited to the Rock-type den. Joshua was born under a waning moon, so he would likely be invited to the Rock-type den, if the rumors were true.

Since Den 83 was unusual, the app had a separate list for Pokémon in Den 83 A and Den 83 B. Both of them held a Gigantamax Pokémon listed to be able appear in them, Lapras and Coalossal. Clicking back to the Wild Area map and scrolling underneath it, there was a listing for abnormal events and special news in the Wild Area.

In the abnormal events section, it seemed like there was an influx of Gigantamax capable Coalossal, Lapras, Flapple, Appletun, and Alcremie appearing.

In the special news section, there was a new Lapras ferry service to bring new trainers across East Lake Axewell. A picture of a Lapras ferrying a kid and her Sobble across the water popped up next to the news alert.

Above the map was a search function and next to it was a heart. Tapping the heart, a drop-down list appeared and had a message that said that his favorites were empty. Using the search function, he looked up Gigantamaxed Pokémon and was taken to a page that showed all the known Pokémon able to Gigantamax and they had stars next to them. Above them it said the minimum rank for capture. The lowest rank possible was a Butterfree at 1 star.

Confused, Joshua tapped the stars and information about them came up. Apparently, the stars showed what Pokémon would appear to a person of that ranking. Joshua could only conclude that Gym Badges have a signal that let Pokémon know how tough a trainer was. But, there was also an implication that certain Pokémon would call out to certain trainer. Sucking his teeth in annoyance, he put his phone away, tired of learning about Max Raid Battles.

He would try to look at it again later, but right now, it was just too confusing. All that really mattered was that you could battle a Max Raid Battle, have other people join, and you had a star rating that allowed you to catch more powerful Pokémon. The rest of the information was just extraneous and unimportant. It would make good trivia, but like most things in life, unless you studied them really closely, it didn't matter how it worked. Most people go their entire lives without knowing how to make a computer from scratch; it didn't make the computer any less useful.

Relaxing as the savory scent of curry wafted the air, Joshua sat beside the Pokémon. The Pokémon were playing around with sticks, with Purswipe leading Joshua's Goomy around in a circle, who was trying to snatch the stick away from her. Tyrogue was playing fetch with Yamper, tossing a smooth ended stick around for it to chase after. Waggling the stick a little, Tyrogue tossed it in a straight arch.

"Yamp!" Yamper cried, darting after the thrown at a tremendous speed.

Meanwhile, Areadbhar and Gungnir stood watch over the area, patrolling the perimeter. Any stray Pokémon that got too close, immediately darted back into the brush once they saw the two Pokémon loitering about. Well, all, except for one. Behind a nearby rock, Joshua could see a green head peer out from behind it. It had tiny white, stubby hands and it was staring at the food that Noiritta was cooking.

"Dreepy!" a cry sounded, and Joshua felt something light jump onto his head. Rolling his eyes, he plucked Flitter off his head with one hand and gave him a playful glare and grin.

"You know, you really haven't changed. You're still as annoying as ever," Joshua said, putting the little dragon down on the ground. Sticking his tongue out, Dreepy floated up and landed on Joshua's shoulder. "So, what do you think of that Pokémon over there?"

"Dree..." Dreepy moaned, giving a little fake shiver before lowering himself behind Joshua's shoulder until he was peering from behind it.

"Type you're weak to?" Joshua guessed.

"Dreepy!" he cried, nodding frantically.

"Okay, but that doesn't mean you can't be friends. It looks a little lonely."

Floating in front of Joshua, Flitter raised his fore fins and bitterly began to protest. "Dree! Dree! Dreep! Dreepy!"

"Okay, I get it, you're weaker than a Goomy. If I get it to leave the area, will you relax?" Joshua asked. Nodding happily, Flitter laid down on a rock next to Joshua and waved him off.

"You know, you probably could just fight it off if you weren't so lazy or such a scardy-Skitty," Joshua complained as he walked over to the rock. "Okay, I'm sorry, but apparently it's a crime to stay to close to Dreepy if you can beat him in a single attack. So, whatever you are, you have to- huh?"

Joshua was surprise to see the Pokémon just come out from hiding and look up at him in confusion. It was a Ralts. It put its tiny hand in front of its mouth, before pointing at it and its belly. The poor little Pokémon must have been hungry and was probably drawn here by the scent of food. Feeling a pang of pity, Joshua signaled that it was safe to enter the area and lead it to his bag. Taking out an Oran Berry, he gave it to the Ralts who quickly began to scarf it down. Blue juice dribbled slightly down its chin as it devoured the berry.

_Wow, it must have really been hungry… and it has no fear of humans. I wonder if someone raised it. _Joshua thought as he took his phone out to scan it.

_Ralts. The feeling Pokémon. It is highly attuned to the emotions of people and Pokémon. It hides if it senses hostility. If its horns capture the warm feelings of people or Pokémon, its body warms up slightly._

The Pokédex noted its parents were Sableye and Gardevoir, its ability was Synchronize, and that Ralts had a bio. Turning to the bio page, Joshua saw that it was a male, was Adamant nature, and it had been released by its previous trainer. The Ralts still had baby-like features such as underdeveloped horns and a smaller stature. It was _much_ younger than Purswipe, and even though Pokémon can battle right out the egg, they still depended on their parents to find them food and to learn where the best places to find food were. Continuing to read the bio, Joshua learned it was release into the wild directly by its trainer shortly after hatching.

_It was separated from its parents?! I wonder how they took that… Dubwool took it rather hard, so I can't imagine what the mother and father are going through. Considering how Ms. Savage thought it didn't affect Dubwool, I don't think this person even sees anything wrong either. It probably wasn't what they wanted, and so, they just released it without worrying about the repercussions. Knowing all of this, I can't exactly turn a blind eye to a baby in trouble… _Joshua figured as he looked down at the Ralts.

"Hey Joshua. You found a Ralts?" Melissa asked as she crouched down by him.

"Yeah, and it's a baby. It was bred by a trainer who released it without knowing that Pokémon need their parents to survive, and wrongfully assumed that if it could battle, it had a chance in the wild. It's evident that it can't fend for itself… If I just left it here, it might…" Joshua's voice drifted off.

"Then take it with you. We can discuss what to do with Nurse Joy when we get to Motostoke. For now, it's probably best if you catch it so you can keep it safe from danger. Motostoke is a long way away, even with the Lapras ferry, and anything can happen in the intervening time," Melissa suggested.

Glancing down at Ralts, he was licking the berry juice off his stubby hands. Joshua remembered fostering Pokémon when his mom and dad were curators at a museum. They would take in Pokémon from Nurse Joy and offer them a place to stay as they got more accustomed to humans. It was always sad to say goodbye, but Joshua knew that they could never keep them. Taking care of Ralts would be just like the Pokémon he helped to foster.

Nodding, Joshua took out a Poké Ball and placed it in front of Ralts. It felt a little unusual to not battle a Pokémon first, but this would have to be all Ralt's choice. Ralts looked at it with a perplexed look, touching the sphere and trying to crawl onto it. Looking up at Joshua, it rolled off the ball and rolled in front of it. Poking the center, a red light withdrew him into its confines. Giving one harsh shake, the Poké Ball settled down.

_Now that's a full team. If I want any more Pokémon, I'm going to have to switch them out. I have Purswipe, Areadbhar, and Gungnir on my permeate team. I know I want an Appletun and a Fighting-type Pokémon. Thing is, I don't know how to get an Appletun… Case Study never explained where they live or if they even evolve from something. Eugene's Dracovish is going to be really tough, and I need either a Dragon-type or Fairy-type. I would rather a Fairy-type, so Togekiss would be a nice pick. Only thing is that Togepi seems really rare… You know what, I'll just decide when I see a Fairy-type or Fighting-type. _Joshua deliberated as he released Ralts. Ralts looked up at him curiously before wandering off to go play with the other Pokémon. Dreepy let out a screech and hid behind a rock, avoiding the Fairy-type Pokémon.

"Dreepy! You do remember you are a Ghost-type, right? You have an advantage over it as well. It's a Psychic-type," Joshua reminded.

"Dree?" Dreepy questioned, giving a confused look before getting closer to Ralts. Ralts looked at it, curious about the floating Pokémon. Sniffing the baby Pokémon, Dreepy seemed to calm down a little and even puff its chest out.

"Dreep! Dreep! Dreepy!"

"Ralts…?"

Pointing his fin at Ralts and then himself, he gave a smug grin. "Dreeee! Dreepy!"

With a smile, Ralts nodded and pointed at himself, puffing his chest our as well. "Ralts! Ra Ral Ralts!"

"I think Flitter found a new friend. Probably decided that he'd take Ralts under his wing," Melissa chuckled, a grin wrinkling her face as she watched Dreepy try to hide behind Ralts's back as a way of playing with it. Ralts spun around to see if he could catch a glimpse of it, but Dreepy just moved again.

"Mealtime!" Noiritta called, snapping everyone to attention. The Pokémon all came running, ready for some food. Joshua and Melissa followed after them, sitting down to enjoy a nice meal of curry. After giving everyone their portion, Noiritta sat beside Joshua and began to eat her portion. While eating, Joshua noticed that Purswipe and Yamper positioned themselves on opposite ends of the space they had chosen to gather in, and were slurping down their food without making direct eye contact. The rest of the Pokémon ate at a nice, even pace, except for Ralts who was still hungry, and was eating the food like hadn't had a decent meal in days.

After lunch, Noiritta cleaned up, and everybody returned their Pokémon except the one they wanted to take into battle. This time, Joshua had chosen Gungnir to take the lead in the battle. She has proven herself to be a good battler, and he figured that she should have some practice taking down Dynamax Pokémon. Purswipe would be next in line, since she had to battle Dynamax Pokémon eventually. Perhaps even in the first Gym.

Melissa had chosen Pancham again, due to Yamper having a poor match up against Dragon-type Pokémon. And finally, Noiritta had picked Goomy this time, due to it having a Dragon-type move that was ranged. _One distant attacker and two close combat ones. I wonder how this will go._ Joshua pondered as he picked up Gungnir. Humming softly, she snapped her teeth in content.

"Are we all ready?" Noiritta called as she hopped over to the ring circle. They both nodded and Noiritta hummed cheerfully as she took out a dark blue lump of rock that was emitting a soft white light. Twirling about a little, Noiritta dropped the stone into the hole and put her hands together in prayer as she closed her eyes. In a few seconds, a red light appeared from the hole.

Gently smiling, Noiritta opened her eyes and gave a wide grin. "It worked! Oh, it worked! I'm so excited to get a new friend!"

"Right, let's get this over so we can reach East Lake Axewell before nightfall. I've had enough of catching Pokémon at this point," Joshua sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

"Of course! After all, when we get to Motostoke, I want to go to the Pokémon Center training room to see what they have to train Pokémon." Noiritta exclaimed as she touched the light.

Like before, she disappeared into the light. Giving a gentle sigh, Joshua touched the light as well, the same warmth from before enveloping him and rejuvenating him. Closing his eyes, he basked in the glow until it slowly waned away. Opening his eyes, he let out a muffled yelp as he saw a gigantic Pokémon staring down at him. What frightened him were the abnormal eyes. They looked like stars on the red Pokémon.

The Pokémon itself had a huge maw that looked like it could crush through anything. The hed was held up by a circular neck, and body that was reminiscent of a Chewtle, minus the shell.

"This is Trapinch, according to Rotomimi. I don't get it through… it's not a Dragon-type. Why's it in the Dragon Den?" Noiritta questioned, a little perplexed.

This time, Joshua piped up as he picked himself up from the ground.

"If this is what Trapinch looks like, then it evolves into Flygon. Even though my cousin trains a lot of Flygon, he never lets me come around Trapinch. He claims they're way too vicious for a novice to handle. So, make sure to keep your guard up!" Joshua warned. Gungnir gave a sharp snarl as she placed herself between Trapinch and Joshua.

Goomy shook wildly, as if it were a Rattata just caught by a bored Meowth who had nothing better to do than torment it. Even though she was Dynmaxed before, she seemed frightened by the Pokémon in front of her.

Pancham took a fighting stance, narrowing her eyes as she prepared for a fight. With her paws in front of her like that, she growled, ready to strike the instant her trainer ordered her.

To Joshua's surprise, the person sent to battle with them was a girl about his age. She had dark black hair, had dark green eyes, and wore a black blouse with a double layer of flat frills at the top and black fabric shorts. A Pokémon green bipedal Pokémon with skinny legs and a white petal on top of its head that looked like hair. It had red eyes and one hand was made of red flowers, while the others were made of blue as well as a cape made out of leaves. Taking out his phone, it told Joshua the basics of the Pokémon.

_Roserade. The bouquet Pokémon. After captivating opponents with its sweet scent, it lashes them with its thorny whips. The poison in its right hand is quick acting. The poison in its left hand is slow acting. Both are life threatening._

"I've never seen one before… Apparently it's a Grass and Poison-type. I wonder what it can do..." Joshua muttered as he went back to the battle.

With a roar that sent a wave of energy through where they were, the battle began. Before Joshua even commanded her, Chewtle was dashing forward.

"Roserade, use Swift!" the girl ordered, her Roserade leaping into the air and putting its hand in front of it. From them, small yellow stars manifested and aimed themselves directly at the Trapinch.

Roaring, the Trapinch stomped its feet, raising rocks out the ground in rapid succession as they aimed to hit Roserade. Thankfully, Noiritta was already on protecting the Roserade.

"Goomy, break the rocks with Dragon Breath!" Noiritta ordered. Looking up in surprise, Goomy hunkered down and opened its mouth, letting out a flaming pink and blue energy blast, destroying some of the spikes so that Roserade could safely land on them.

Growling Trapinch bit at the stars, destroying them in a sparkly display.

"Okay Pancham, take your chance! Use Arm Thrust!" Melissa ordered. Using the sparkles as cover, Pancham darted under the Trapinch's belly. As Trapinch began to try and charge forward, it let out a sharp cry, and recoiled in pain. As it raised one of its feet, it revealed a fierce and determined Chewtle had latched on, her pincer like teeth allowing her hang onto the peg shaped foot with ease. With a swift flick of the Trapinch's foot, Chewtle was sent up into the air.

Trapinch's row of sharp incisors, began to glow silver and become elongated. In a moment of realization, Joshua understood Trapinch planned to use Bite on his Chewtle. But, now, Chewtle was in the perfect position for a raged attack.

"Water Gun! Full force!" Joshua yelled.

"You too, Goomy! Hit and stun!"

Chewtle tilted her head back as she was falling, raising the pressure in its mouth, but not releasing it just yet. Below, Goomy let out a blast of water aimed directly at Trapinch, making it flinch and rear up on its hindlegs. Taking the opportunity, Chewtle, who was directly lined up in front of Trapinch's muzzle, let out a powerful blast of water, sending Trapinch sprawling onto its back. Joshua was preparing to run to catch Chewtle, but a voice caused him to stop.

"Roserade catch it!" the other girl ordered, and with a powerful and graceful leap, Roserade caught the Chewtle and placed back on the ground. Snapping in appreciation, Gungnir soon turned her focus to Trapinch, who was groaning in annoyance. It shook its head, and raised both its feet and stamped them down, sending a rock towards everyone.

"Pancham! Do it now!" Melissa ordered, and her Pancham leapt into the belly of the beast, its fist glowing white as it hit it. Flinching, the Trapinch cried in pain as Pancham sent three hits to its underbelly, the weakest part of any Pokémon. It was why the natural position to defend oneself was the fetal position; it protected all sensitive exterminates like the neck and belly area. So, if a move hit there, it had a higher chance of being a critical hit.

As Pancham kept Trapinch busy, the rapidly rising rocks were too fast to stop this time and they flew straight towards Goomy and Roserade, who were in front of Gungnir. In a flash, Gungnir darted in front of the rocks meant for Roserade. In a blink of an eye, the rocks hit under Gungnir's shell and sent her careening through the air. Gungnir landed on her side with a sharp thud and low groan. Roserade and the girl seemed shocked, but Joshua had a feeling she would do that without his input. She was always trying to protect someone.

Goomy was also struck, and tossed backwards into the open arms of Noiritta, who caught her as she flew into her chest. Noiritta glared at the Trapinch who just shook it head, as if dispelling the ache from the Pancham's punch to its gut.

Raising its head, it drew a dark aura around it before roaring and sending it out towards the Pokémon and the humans. It surprised everyone, since Pokémon were not known to go after humans in a battle, but the Pokémon were too close to aim properly. Joshua froze in place at the incoming attack. He knew Pokémon attacks didn't hurt as bad as their natural claws and teeth, but they still would be able to knock him unconscious if he wasn't careful.

"Chewtle!" Gungnir cried, rushing forward and in front of everyone. Hunkering its little feet into the ground, it gave a loud call before a white barrier appeared before it.

"That's… Protect," the girl muttered, a little bit in awe at Gungnir.

The dark aura wasted no time in breaking the protective wall to little piece, but the dark aura clearly was weakened as it smashed through the protective wall. It hit Chewtle full-force and sent it sprawling backwards. Chewtle was unresponsive, and immediately returned to its ball. As soon as she was tucked away inside her ball, the storm above them began to become more violent as harsh winds began to blow around them. Bracing himself, Joshua felt the air currents buffet him.

"Okay, let's finish this! Goomy, use Absorb!"

"Roserade, Energy Ball!"

"Pancham! Drain Punch!"

Roserade hopped into the air and formed a green aura ball with bright blue spheres inside of it and launched it at the Trapinch. Pancham, still under Trapinch's belly, created a green sphere in front of her fist and thrust her first upwards upward, creating a green casing around her arm as she hit Trapinch in the stomach again, causing it to rear up in pain. Green sparkles rained down and were absorbed by Pancham, who rubbed her head cheerfully.

The Energy Ball crashed into Trapinch's chin, and a green aura began to appear around Trapinch and Goomy as it drained its energy. Falling backwards, the Trapinch groaned. A bright yellow explosion surrounded it for a moment before dissipating, letting everybody know it was able to be captured now.

Joshua quickly took out an empty Poké Ball from his bag, which grew into a giant Premier Ball, and tossed it at the Trapinch. This time, it was four balls that absorbed the Trapinch into the confides of the Poké Ball. Each one fell to the ground, creating an indent, as they wiggled three time. With a loud click, and the middle of the ball lighting up green, the Trapinch were successfully captured.

"Alright, I got a Trapinch! This Pokémon has high attack, or so Raihan said, so Beat Up will do even more damage!" Joshua said as he picked up the ball.

"Oh, you're right! I forgot that Purswipe knew Beat Up because you've never used it before. Were you just waiting until you had a full team to use it?" Noiritta asked as she picked up her Poké Ball.

"Yup! I want to use it when it's at full power! So, I'll switch out Goomy for Trapinch, and it'll be an even more powerful move! Affray will never see it coming when we have our rematch!" Joshua exclaimed as he bent down to pick up the treasure. This time the TR was TR 47, Dragon Claw, a Big Nugget, a Hondew Berry, a Wiki Berry, one red candy, five tiny blue candies, and one small blue candy. "Melissa, what are these candies?"

"Oh, the red ones are Dynamax Candies. They raise your Pokémon Dynamax levels, which apparently makes them harder to take down. The blue candies are Exp. Candies. They make your Pokémon stronger if you feed it to them," Melissa explained.

After collecting their items, Joshua turned to the girl with the Roserade who had helped them.

"Thanks for your help! I don't remember sending an alert out, but I'm glad we could battle together," Joshua chimed.

"Oh, you didn't. I work for the Pokémon League, and I was sent here by them. But, don't worry, I'm not some high up official or anything like that. I work in the Dynamax division, which is the place that sends people out to help fight Dynamax Pokémon. Normally we don't catch the Dynamax Pokémon, but ever since lone Pokémon started randomly Dynamaxing, we need to figure out the conditions under which they're willing to Dynamax alone. We thought they needed a group to Dynamax, but it seems more research is needed on this phenomenon to keep Pokémon and humans safe. So, catching specimens who willingly cooperated to Dynamax are needed," the girl explained.

To Joshua, this made perfect sense, but Noiritta's bright pink eyes were narrowed in suspicion. Even though it seemed like she wanted to say something, she just gave a polite smile and nodded.

_Last time she did that, Affray had said something off. I wonder if it's the same here._ Joshua questioned as he walked towards the light. Touching it, Joshua was soon teleported to outside the den, along with Melissa and Noiritta.

"Okay, let's all get a move on before the sun sets. We should arrive at the lake by tomorrow, but we'll have to camp out for tonight. Using the Lapras ferry, it should take only two days out of our allotted four days. The rest of the time can be used for training, and visiting the Watchtower Ruins," Melissa suggested.

"Okay!" Noiritta and Joshua both said simultaneously. Before starting the journey, Joshua made sure to switch out his Goomy for Trapinch. After that was done, the group heads north towards where the East Lake Axewell was. As a precaution, everyone had at least one Pokémon out to make sure they were ready to fight off any wild Pokémon.

Areadbhar was traveling above the group, taking charge of the air ways and thwarting any potential sneak attacks. Noiritta was holding her Goomy close due to it being a slow walker. If it sensed an enemy was nearby, it would let loose a Water Gun to flush it out and have one of the other Pokémon take care of it. Due to his speed, Yamper was Melissa's pick, and he was bolting around the group, barking at everything to make sure they knew not to come close.

While the occasional wild Pokémon ignored the warning and insisted on a battle, most kept their distance and avoided a fight once their cover was blown. During the light walk through the wooded area, the group would occasionally take short break to catch their breaths after walking for extended periods of time. By time night fell, Joshua was in charge of pitching the tent, and the lake was nowhere in sight.

"I'll cook dinner this time, Noiritta. Raihan taught me the basics before I left, and I had a cooking class in school as part of my after-school courses. So, it should be editable," Joshua said as he took out a shrunken pot from his bag.

"Okay, I'll go get some firewood and kindle than! I'll take Trapinch with me since I just healed her up, and she's one of the few Pokémon that didn't get to battle today." Noiritta offered.

"While you two do that, I'll make sure the perimeter is safe while I'll leave Yamper on watch here. He's a little tired, but will still bark if there's a problem," Melissa encouraged, as Yamper took a seat by Joshua. He gave two cheerful barks before twirling about in delight.

Before beginning their tasks, they let all their Pokémon out to relax in the camp area they had set up. Tyrogue was the only Pokémon who seemed to have excess energy, since he hadn't battled today, so he was placing sticks in the ground to mark territory. Joshua's Trapinch was murmuring to Melissa's Trapinch. Everyone else was settling down for a nap, with Areadbhar flying into the woods to get something. Moments later, she came back with fresh, springy moss and began to knead it into a soft bed. Once it was shaped to her liking, she hunkered down like a brooding bird and began to snore gently.

Purswipe and Flitter napped next to Ralts who had found some solace in the protection of a rock. Once Joshua was sure everyone was where they needed to be, he began to prepare the mushroom soup that has making for dinner. Taking out the ingredients for mushroom soup, he doubled checked to make sure that he had everything. Getting his butter powder ready by adding water, he waited for Noiritta to come back with the firewood. After finishing the prep-work of dicing the onions, separating the four cloves of garlic, cutting up the crimini mushrooms, and portabella mushrooms, and measured out the rest of the ingredients, he collected the ingredients together to prepare to cook them.

After he finished, he heard footsteps trampling through the undergrowth. Whoever it was, they weren't trying hide their presence. Looking up, he saw Noiritta return with the firewood, a cheerful look on her face as she began to set it up. In a few minutes, the fire was all set up and Joshua began to prepare the meal while Noiritta was over by her Pokémon.

"Alright! Since we're waiting, I'm going to name you two! Trapinch, I want you to be named…" Noiritta's voice trailed off as her eyes darted around the area. Landing on something in the distance, she narrowed her pink eyes as she focused on whatever it was. Joshua guessed it was another Fylgja. "I've got it! Since you're female, I think Odile will do wonderfully! As for Goomy, you're female too, so… how about Perdita?"

Trapinch nodded enthusiastically while Goomy swayed side from side, showing signs that it liked its name as well.

An hour or two passed as Joshua finished preparing the food and called everyone to dinner. A warm scent filled the air, and all the Pokémon began to stir as they sensed the food was done.

Taking out the Pokémon's portions first, Joshua crushed up the berries of the flavors they enjoyed, and added into the soup, to give it a unique kick for them. Stirring the juices in, he set down each bowl in front of the intended Pokémon.

Rousing from her sleep, Purswipe gave a big yawn as she shook off her fur. She cautiously sniffed the bowl of soup, recoiling a little. Licking her lips, she glanced at it wearily as she slowly crawled towards it, lifting her front paw and striking the side of the bowl. The bowl shook a little and hot soup splashed onto her paw. Squealing, she tumbled backwards in surprise and landing on her back. Rolling over so her belly was covered, she quickly began to lick her injured paw, but it was obvious she was sulking a little. As she did, she paused, and her eyes went wide with surprise and joy. Giving a little toothy grin, she continued to lick her paw before turning around to eat her food.

_Hopefully she's not like this with every new food. _Joshua thought with amusement as he continued to hand out the food. Sitting down to enjoy his own bowl, he glanced over the camp. They had caught quite a bit of Pokémon today. Some were duplicates due to the Max Raid battles having enough Pokémon for each participant. Others were unexpected, such as Tyrogue, who was busy gobbling his food next to his new friend, Yamper. And one was just a temporary member who happened to cross their path.

Looking over his team fondly, he couldn't help but feel a sense of belonging. Yesterday, he had three Pokémon to care for. Now, he had six. Sure, it would probably be a challenge to take care of them all, but Joshua wanted to have a lot of different Pokémon.

_Maybe I'll become a Pokémon Breeder after all of this is done. Or even start a private Pokémon Connoisseur business in Galar since there are none here. But then how would I create that special event I want if I'm doing all of that… Oh, I've got it! What if the event was showcasing the bond a Pokémon parent has with its child! A performance to show off how well they work together, then an inspection round to see how well their bond was allowed to foster, and finally, a battle to show off how well they work together! That would allow me to work as a Breeder, make an important event, and show off the important parent-child bond Pokémon have. _Joshua contemplated as he ate his food.

Melissa interrupted him from his thoughts about the future as she sat down next to him with a bowl of the food he just cooked. She didn't say anything as she looked up at the star filled sky. They silently ate together, which gave Joshua a warm feeling. He remembered being younger and eating food that Melissa made for him because his mom and dad usually got home late from work. His sister would always eat next to Melissa and would chat up a storm.

Feeling a sudden pang of loneliness, Joshua remembered that he didn't even tell his sister goodbye or where he was going. He was so preoccupied with avoiding Affray, that he didn't even think about it. Knowing how lonely she was ever since their parents left on the trip, he couldn't help but think of her looking despondent. Suppressing a sigh, Joshua reminded himself that he would see her when he got to Motostoke.

After finishing the meal, it was Noiritta who collected the dishes to wash them down by a nearby river. With everyone fully restored to their full health, Noiritta, Melissa, and Joshua went to sleep in their respective sleeping tents while the Pokémon slept outside. Only the Trapinch went into their Poké Balls, due to them being burrowing Pokémon, and having high anxiety about sleeping out in the open. The Goomy and Purswipe all went inside their owner's tents to sleep, since their species also tended to seek shelter, but wasn't as disoriented from open spaces as the Trapinch. With a light coo, Purswipe cuddled next to Joshua in his sleeping bag. Her silky fur keeping his chest warm as they fell asleep together.

In the morning, Joshua woke up, and found that Purswipe had moved closer to the entrance, her tail flicking in irritation. Yawning, and still half-asleep with his vision blurred from just waking up, Joshua moved rolled out of his sleeping bag, and opened the tent. With a bark of joy, Purswipe made a mad dash outside the tent. Rubbing his eyes to get his vision straight, Joshua began to get ready for the day ahead of them. There was going to be walking, probably until a little after noon, with a few breaks scattered in between the trip. Yawning, Joshua exited it the tent to prepare his team.

!*~*~*~*!

The sun was high in the sky, and trees had finally thinned out as they reached the East Lake Axewell. Joshua was relived to finally get a break, after walking for about three hours straight. Being from the city, he was used to walking for two hours maximum. Noiritta, on the other hand, seemed to be faring better, with her Dreepy humming gently as it floated behind her. Joshua was walking with his Purswipe, but he ended up having to carry her because she got too tired to walk any further. So, instead, Ralts, was walking beside him. His ability to sense hostile Pokémon came in handy, even if he did run and hide behind Joshua most of the time.

Against his better judgment, Joshua decided to let Tyrogue out to battle, even if he wasn't planning on using him. He decided to use him when he saw Tyrogue was beginning to get antsy this morning and tried to pick a fight with Perdita. Tyrogue were normally very combative species, so they needed some way to get their aggression out. While initially ignoring Joshua's orders, he eventually decided that battling with him helped him to win more battles. Now, Tyrogue was more obedient, and happier since it got all its excess energy out.

Melissa had Yamper and her Trapinch out to chase off any wild Pokémon that challenged her. Yamper was always eager for a battle, while Trapinch more cautious and would tire the wild Pokémon out before even thinking of engaging it.

As the group walked closer to the water's edge, Melissa returned her Pokémon. The calm, blue water shifted the dirt it rolled onto, carrying it into its watery depths. The sun glistened off of the surface of the water, making it seem as if tiny crystals danced around on the top. The scent of fresh water filled Joshua's nose, and he couldn't help, but remember going to the lake with his sister when they went to camp.

They would splash and play in the water, and ride Rapidash at the water's shallow edge. His parents would always watch over them carefully, making sure they didn't stray too far into the water. Even if they did stray too far, their mom's Milotic was always around to swiftly rescue them.

Standing near the edge of the glistening lake, Joshua heard a single clear note pierce the air. The note soon morphed into a song that drowned out all the noise around the lake. It was clear, and calming, almost like a lullaby. As the song wrapped around him, Joshua began to feel at ease, almost as if he was a very little child again, and his mom was singing to him to help him fall asleep.

"Look!" Noiritta chirped, interrupting Joshua from his memory dive. "There's the Lapras! It's coming right now!"

Peering over the water's surface, Joshua could see a Lapras heading towards them, its neck was completely parallel to the water's surface as it swam towards them. Memorized by its grace, Joshua stared at it in awe as it settled next to the edge of the lake, nodding at them. Lowering its head, Ralts climbed on, patting the Lapras with its tiny arm. Giving a pleased chime, the Lapras raised its head, making sure the little Ralts was secure.

Joshua felt a little uneasy about Ralts being up there, but since the little Pokémon seemed to be relaxed, he decided that it was okay to leave him up there. Melissa returned her Pokémon before climbing on the Lapras.

"Dreep!" Flitter cried indignantly, before clinging to Noiritta's head. He let out a moody growl as he nestled himself deeper into Noiritta's hair.

"Heh, of course you can ride on Lapras with us! Flitter, I know you want to protect Ralts," Noiritta chortled, only adding to Flitter's moodiness, as she bored the Lapras

"Dree, dree dreepy eepy!" Flitter grumbled.

_I guess after playing with Ralts, he gained a respect from him._ Joshua thought. Putting Purswipe on Lapras first, Joshua than clambered onto the Lapras. Lapras raised its head high and let out a long, captivating note before shoving it fins off the shore of the lake. Soon, it was freely rocking in the water, and it took off into the sea, using its massive flipper to slip through the water with ease.

"Ralts!" Ralts cried happily as it sat behind Lapras's horn, waving its tiny arms. Purswipe crouched down and watched the water flow by as Lapras glided through the water. As Lapras swam through the glistening body of water, little waves formed around it, spraying Purswipe and disturbing the calm water.

"Goldeen?" a voice sounded as a Goldeen popped its head out the water, swimming close to the Lapras. Purswipe slightly jumped backwards, surprised by the sudden Pokémon. "Deen."

The Goldeen popped it head back under.

"Rallll?" Ralts cried as he held onto the Lapras's horn and his horns began to glow blue. Ralts raised its arms and as he did, a ball of water that had a blue aura around it rose from the larger body of water. Straining his powers, Ralts attempted to bring the ball over to him, but the aura soon dissipated and the water crashed back down into the lake. "Ralts..."

"Heh, it seems like Ralts was trying to make a new friend. But, it's not too skilled at using its moves." Joshua said.

"Yeah. Maybe you can help it to master Confusion." Noiritta suggested, leaning closer to water to touch it with her hand. She giggled as the water drifted over her hand, creating waves in the soft surface.

"I guess, but I want to be like those Battle Stars on TV! I want to use moves in a unique way! I saw this one person who used the move Swift as a way to contain the enemy! I was so struck by the performance! But, I'm always starstruck with the new moves they come up with. It always blows me away," Joshua said, his eyes burning with excitement.

Battle Contests were events where trainers would enter to show off new moves they created or ways to use moves in new, and original way. They were an offshoot of multiple interests, such as Contests and the desire to know how moves come into existence and work. In one contest that Joshua had watched on TV, there was a Battle Star who had a Pokémon used Swift to create a dome that function as both a defensive and offensive wall around the opponent. Both trainers couldn't see their Pokémon, but it was obvious whenever the opposing Pokémon got close because the dome of stars would move, and the opposing Pokémon's cry of pain could be heard through the shield. Unfortunate, the Swift using trainer lost that round due to the other trainer electrocuting the stars and using the power from the now electrified stars to power up its own attack.

"Battle Stars? The move experts? I've seen a few of their performances on TV, but since they didn't originate in Galar, I never saw one with my eyes. What do they do?" Noiritta asked, her curious eyes fixated on him.

"Well, first there's the Appeal Round, like Contest. But, this time, the judges check to see if the move is viable in battles. If the move is new, it has to make contact with a machine that tests its power, ability, and how long it takes for the move to execute. If the move already exists in the records, the criteria for it is how long it takes to execute, how potentially helpful it is, and how creative the use of the move is. After the Appeal Round is the Tactic Round. The Tactic Round is show how flexible the move is.

"Usually, you have to use the move to break down a field of rocks quickly or use it corral Pokémon who are rampaging. There's a lot of scenarios the judges can chose from, and the trainer is supposed to perform the certain task in five minutes. Finally, it's the Battle Round. It where you show off how useful and practical your move actually is. It's always my favorite part! Everything else is like a teaser," Joshua beamed.

Noiritta smiled and nodded as he gabbed at about the Battle Contests.

The Lapras continued to cruise along the lake at steady pace. Even though Joshua felt a little wobbly due to the Lapras swaying gently in the waves, he also felt secure. Purswipe yawned as she began to doze off. Returning her so she wouldn't fall, Joshua held onto the gray shell of Lapras as he leaned onto Melissa's back. Feeling her arm wrap around him, he began to drift off.

!*~*~*~*!

Joshua awoke again, but it was in the same strange forest as last time. But, this time, he could see the canine more clearly. To his surprise, it was Zacian, or at least a ghostly image of her. Her ragged appearance shocked him because he was so used to seeing her clean and clad in her suit of gold. She held her mouth open as she moved closer to him, her tail cautiously wagging.

"Joshua, Cresselia was finally able to connect me to you. I'm so happy to finally see you face to face!" she whined cheerfully.

Joshua was surprised, and he couldn't find the words to answer. _I have seen you though! We met here! _Joshua thought as he desperately tried to answer her, but he felt as if he was incapable of speaking. Taking his silence as the wrong kind of surprise, she dipped her head gracefully.

"I know it must be a shock for you to understand me and even more shocking to see me before you. But, I want to let you know something. I've nominated you to be my delegate," Zacian said.

Finally, Joshua found the words caught between his threat, but this was from the new shock of the combination of words tumbling from Zacian's lips. "Delegate…? What's that?"

"Don't you have- Oh, no, Unova has them! Right, so some sort of explanation is in order. A delegate is a human of my choosing who will represent me before the Legendary Council in matters dealing with humans," Zacian explained.

Joshua just stared her in utter confusion. She had said words, but he only understood a small fraction of the meaning.

"Oh, I forgot, you would have no idea who the Legendary Council is. To put it simply, a group of Legendary Pokémon came together to give a voice to Pokémon. From there, it spiraled into an organization that protected Pokémon and ensured a healthy future. Now, their mission statement is to promote the relationship between people and Pokémon, and to keep the world free from all sorts of ills. Seeing as I've just awakened, I've been tapped to join them, and I picked you to help represent me," Zacian said, tilting her head upwards slightly.

"Why me?" Joshua blurted out. "Look, I know I'm Raihan's cousin, but-"

Joshua became silent as Zacian let out a harsh growl rose from Zacian's throat. She didn't have her mouth open anymore, and she bared her teeth. Letting her lips slide back into place over her teeth, she stood at ease, her eyes boring into his own. Deep, clear amber met bright red.

"You are more than Raihan's cousin. I chose you not because of him. Honestly, I couldn't care less about him. I chose you because your eyes remind me of my son. You are a kind person, and someone who would never get into a fight unless really provoked. I need someone like that by my side. Without a calm head by my side, I usually fly into an unstoppable rage. I realized that when I got marr-" Zacian stiffened and licked her nose. There was a flash of sorrow in her eyes, but when she blinked, it was gone. "Like I was saying, you're a good person. While keeping my distance and watching people, I came across you. When you saw a Toxel that had gotten separated from its trainer, you separated from your friends to find its trainer."

Joshua raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "Yeah, I did. But, anyone could have done that. What I did wasn't unique or special. Zacian, I recommend you find someone better than me to become your delegate. It sounds like an important job and I don't think settling for someone like me is a good idea."

Joshua was 90% sure that she had picked him because he was the first person she saw helping a Pokémon. But, Joshua knew there were other people more suited for what she wanted. After all, as Affray has been telling him, he was nothing special. He probably was chosen to get one of the starters because of nepotism. It's not something the escaped his thoughts.

Shaking her head, Zacian laid down, her legs splayed out to one side of her. "Joshua, you're incorrect. Remember the Dubwool incident?"

"Well, yeah. But, I don't see how being foolish qualifies me for any leadership role."

Rolling her eyes, Zacian raised her chin again, almost as if she was sizing Joshua up. Joshua watched her, making sure to keep a calm demeanor before this regale Pokémon, even as he was fighting back the desire to just run away from this situation. What was her aim? Why wouldn't she take no for an answer?

"I would do the exact same thing, and yet, others still look up to me. Maybe it's because I protect them, like you did that Purswipe. Even if you aren't the best choice in the world, you are still a great choice. Besides, I don't have the time to be searching the whole world for the _best _choice. When I found the person who I partnered with all those years ago, I was never sure _he_ was the best. Yet, we saved the world from the Darkest Day, right? I don't go by "best", I go by speed and instincts, and those have yet to fail me. Joshua, you might not be the "best" choice, but you are someone who I can rely on." Zacian said.

Feeling a sense of relief at the truth being told, Joshua nodded. He wasn't the best choice, but he was worth something. And he wanted to prove that. But, now there was another question that Joshua was dying to ask. It was about something Zacian alluded to earlier.

"Hey, Zacian. You said I have the eyes of your son. What did you mean by that? I thought Legendary Pokémon didn't have offspring," Joshua said.

Giving a soft chortle before shifting into a sitting position and nearly wrapping her tail around her paws, her eyes soften. "Yes, you do. I remember him like he was bouncing around me only yesterday. He was a rambunctious little pup, never listening to a word I said. But, he was caring, and always ready to protect those in trouble. Even Zamazenta and I. My niece was quite the opposite though. She was thoughtful, and slow to get into brawls that she didn't need to. She was also quite the diplomat and would even scold her father for getting into fights that were unnecessary." Zacian began to shuffle her paws as she continued. "But, all that came to an end when they were taken. With no one to replace us in case we died, and a growing worry that our kind might be the only line of defense for another attack of the Darkest Day kind, we went to sleep and left all our loved ones behind."

A silence passed between the two. Joshua didn't know what to say to a grieving mother who had obviously been through a lot. He didn't even want to dare ask who took them and what happened to them.

"Gavin has assured me they're alive. You'll meet him soon, and I assure you, you'll love him. If I could have anyone by my side, it would have to be Gavin. Hardworking, loving, determined. I could go on and on about him, but I think that would give you a false impression of him. Back to the topic of my pup, Gavin said he was put into hiding and that he protected him from percussion. I don't know where he is, or how he's doing, but all that matters are that he's alive."

Rising to her paws, she turned her head and then her body followed. "It looks like it's almost dark out now and you should be arriving at the shoreline on the Lapras. Have faith in yourself, Joshua and give yourself more credit. Those who don't actively seek out power, sometimes make the best leaders."

With that, she walked deeper into the dark forest, disappearing before Joshua. Now, Joshua was left alone as he watched her leave. _If she wasn't the one who originally called me here, who was? And why did they?_

Joshua felt a pit form in his stomach as he stared into the darkness. There might be another canine that was looking to get at him. Trying to avoid thinking about it, Joshua tried to push back the question and peered into the forest since he wasn't waking up yet. Like before, everything was still dark, and he could only see a black and white outline of the vegetation that laid just outside the boundaries of the tree line.

Shaking his head, Joshua closed his eyes and began to wake himself up. Jolting awake in the real world, the exhaustion was now filling Joshua's aching bones. It was if he had never slept. Looking around, his vision still slightly blurred from waking up, he saw that the sun was still setting, casting its lovely, otherworldly glow on the sky and lake. Both were a deep shade of beautiful orange. The sky was filled with deep purples and light blues as it began its transition to what would be a blanket of jet black. The lake was mainly orange, with patches of bright white interrupting it thanks to the setting sun next to them.

Yawning, Joshua cuddled closer to Melissa, enjoying her warmth.

"We're almost to the shoreline Joshua," Melissa cooed.

Nodding slightly, he closed his eyes and put his head in the crook her side. After being told he was destined for something, perhaps _two_ things if the dream from the other morning is to be believed, he needed something familiar he could trust. Sensing something was wrong with her ward, Melissa gently brushed his hair on his forehead out the way and put her hand on his forehead. Joshua blushed slightly, because it was something his mom had always down when he was feeling sick.

"Yot feeling a little under the weather, Josh?" Melissa asked.

"No, I've just been having weird dreams… In one, it was a canine Pokémon. They said I was going to be a leader… And _then_ I saw Zacian ask me to be her representative in something," Joshua admitted. Now that he thought about it, they couldn't possibly be real dreams.

"Hmm… canine Pokémon… And it wasn't Zacian before, because you're certain they asked you to be a leader…?" Melissa asked.

"Yeah! But, I don't know if it was real or if I'm deluding myself into thinking I'm more important than I am. After all, Zacian would pick someone else to be her delegate." Joshua muttered.

"Delegate…? Joshua, in all my life, I've _never_ heard you use that term, nor is it a word universally known. Since our ruling body doesn't even have members called delegates in Galar, it would be even more difficult to come across that word. I think Zacian did talk to you, but I don't know about the other dream…" Melissa shifted as she straightened herself. "But, Munna would be able to reproduce the dream. My university just got a new degree for oneirology, and Fennel is the first official oneirologist, even if she doesn't have an official degree, she allowed for harder research to be done. It's still a soft science like psychology, but there's now a legitimate degree path to it, besides just studying scientific topics around dreams like psychology and nerobiology."

"Wait, how does that help me?"

"Well, we can have a oneirologist look at your dreams, and examine it. From there, they might be able to give you an-"

"Can't we just ask Zacian?"

"Awww, but I wanted to see how they extracted dreams! Besides, one of my colleagues is double majoring in it, and I wanted to hear his thoughts on the matter!"

"We can do that with the first dream… maybe. I don't know how they can get to a dream that already happened."

"Alright! It's a deal then! When we get to Motostoke, I'll ask my college to come over and see if he can run some tests on you. While I go to Hammerlocke University, all the main colleges and universities are a part of the same group, so we're allowed to use the equipment in Motostoke University. I guess we can drag Raiju into this as well, since he might be able to identify the Pokémon since he looks at them closely."

Suddenly feeling a little regret at agreeing to have his dreams looked at, Joshua just nodded.

"Alright, but let's keep Zacian a secret, please? I don't think it's a good idea to have people know the savior of Galar might have contacted me. It could be dangerous to both of us."

"Right! I'll make sure to keep it quiet! But, this first dream seems a lot more interesting and like a scientific gold mine! Can you imagine how important it'll be to examine dream-walking?"

_Dream walking? What if it was just a dream? Would it really be something important? _Joshua asked himself as he stayed silent for the rest of the trip.

Soon, the Lapras docked onto the shore, the sun had already set, and the cool night had set in. Cries of Pokémon could be heard in the distance, and the half-moon hung in the sky, providing light. Even though it was dark, Joshua could easily make out the outline of the entrance to Motostoke finally. It still looked far away, but not an unmanageable distance.

"We'll soon be there," Joshua exclaimed. "We should make it by noon tomorrow, hopefully!"

"Yes, and then we can take a little break in Motostoke! I want to go to the Watchtower Ruins a little later on. After we walk there, we can just fly back to Motostoke," Noiritta explained.

Titling his head in confusion, he turned to face Noiritta. "What do you mean fly back?"

"As in the Corviknight Taxi! When we get to Motostoke, the person in charge of the Gym Challenges will give us a free pass to use the service to go anywhere we've been before. Our Rotophone tracks where we've been, and it only allows that information to be accessed by the Pokémon League and the Taxi company."

"I see…" Joshua paused as he looked around. He began to walk into the distance but stopped once he heard Ralts let out a fearful cry. Turning around, he saw the little Pokémon was gingerly stepping onto the ground as the Lapras lowered its head. Unable to find its footing, the little critter tumbled onto its back with a cry of shock.

"Ralts!" Joshua called as he hurried over to pick it up. The little Fairy-type squirmed in his arms a little as he murmured in discomfort. Putting his hand on Ralts's forehead, Joshua felt that he was just fine, if not a little warm to the touch. "You're fine, Ralts. You're probably just tired and hungry…"

"Well, we just need to find the perfect spot and once we do, we can set up camp," Melissa reassured Joshua as she began to walk into the woods. Returning Ralts to its ball for safe keeping, Joshua and Noiritta followed after her.

Noiritta furrowed her brow a bit, which honestly surprised Joshua. Not the fact that she seemed worried about something, but the fact he could see it in such detail. He didn't usually have such good night vision. Usually, he slept with a nightlight on because he was afraid of the dark.

After a few minutes of walking, Noiritta sighed and turned her face towards Joshua. Her face betrayed that she was frustrated with something.

"I can't see your Fylgja anymore," she said sharply, her voice filled with irritation and confusion. "This has never happened before, even in the dead of night! If there's someone around, I always see their Fylgja! But, yours just up and vanished the night I slept over! It has been bugging me since we've left! And what's making it worse is that I don't even sense her!"

_Her? My Fylgja is a female? _Joshua pondered as he was taken aback by how irritated Noiritta was. He had never seen Noiritta so bothered by something. Maybe it was because he had only known her for about four days, but she seemed to be the plucky person who never randomly got upset. This must be a big deal for her.

"I don't know where she went, obviously. Although, I think I'm beginning to put two and two together. I saw her that night she disappeared. Is she perhaps a canine Pokémon?" Joshua questioned.

Noiritta's eyes flew open with surprise and she began to smile. Her previous irritation seemed to vanish right before his eyes.

"Yes! She is!" she said emphatically as words began to rapidly fly out of her mouth. "I can't describe her well because she looks very different than the average Pokémon, but she's defiantly a type of Arcanine! Although, her tail is a little weird, and she seems to have wings-"

"Wings?!" Joshua exclaimed, cutting off her babbling. Covering her ears with her hands, Noiritta gave a pained nod.

"I don't know! Your Fylgja is unlike any I've seen, besides Affray's."

"Furfur, right?"

"Yes, that is Affray's Fylgja's name! You sure seem to know a lot about them! Are you sure you don't talk to them?"

"I dreamt about Furfur and I think, my Fylgja. But, she wouldn't tell me her name. Do you perhaps know it?"

"Yes, yes. Her name is Marchosias, and she is very important! When the other Fylgja see her, they all stare in awe at her and Furfur! But, I don't know much else about her…" Noiritta drifted off a little. "Although Furfur looks like a character from a book I once read, Marchosias is very unique… Raiju might know more about Furfur, but I'm not sure about Marchosias. I only say that because Furfur looks like a demon. The Peryton."

_Now I sort of wish that I kept the Obake encyclopedia. It would have had an entry on what a Peryton was._ Joshua thought as they finally stop, a little way away from the lake. It was far enough not the heard the gentle lapping of the water on the dusty shores, but close enough that Joshua could still see it.

"Hey, you know something about myths, right Melissa? Do you know anything about what a Peryton is?" Joshua called out.

"Hmm… somewhat. Peryton are creatures from an ancient city that was once destroyed that used to lie southeast of here. They were said to have herald the city's destruction, and a long time ago, a soothsayer said that it would herald Galar's destruction if they weren't careful. Sawsbuck are now extinct on the mainland due to this myth, but I heard that some might be around. I'm not sure of the surrounding isle biodiversity, but I heard a rumor that a group leucistic Sawsbuck might live on one of the isles. Leucistic just means they almost completely lack a type of pigment, but still have some color, and carry blue eyes mainly. Albino _usually_ are white, their gums and eyelids are pink, and they usually have pink or light blue eyes. But, trying to figure out the difference between leucism, albinism, and partial albinism, is a chore in anything that doesn't have feathers, so I just call them all albino, even though that's technically not correct," Melissa explained, deviating into different topics as she usually did.

_Well, that proves that the weird Sawsbuck I saw might have been a Peryton. But, Furfur said that Affray must give up his heart to save his family and Galar… _Joshua froze at the implication.

"Joshua, are you okay? You seem like you just realized something," Melissa asked, her face beginning to crease in worry.

"Yeah, it's nothing. I was just… shocked by the fact Galar could be destroyed," Joshua lied. He didn't think Melissa would be able to sooth his fears this time. _If Affray has to give up his heart to save Galar, that monster must be aiming to eat it! Maybe someone in the Affray family has to sacrifice their life in order to satisfy this beast's quest for destruction!_

It was Noiritta who snapped him out of his unsubstantiated thoughts.

"Well, it's not like Galar is going to be destroyed by a Fylgja. They're not able to interact with the physical world. They live in a completely different world and they can't crossover into ours, except to be an omen of death. Fylgja can only communicate through dreams," Noiritta reassured Joshua with her kindly voice.

_Noiritta is right. If they're trapped in a different world with no way of crossing over, the beast can't possibly be after Affray's heart. I'm worrying about nothing. All these myths talk have gotten me paranoid. _Joshua scolded himself as he released his Pokémon. For now, it was better to just forget about these talks of monsters and myths and set up camp for the night.

It was Noiritta's turn to cook the dinner, and she ended up cooking some regular curry for everyone. After eating their fill, everybody went to sleep for the night. The next day, Joshua woke up bright and early, and prepared breakfast this time. Once everyone finished eating, Melissa, Joshua, and Noiritta walked the final miles to Motostoke.

At around noon, they finally arrived at the gates that lead into the city. The paved over ground was a serious relief to Joshua as his feet ached from walking over the rough, uneven ground. In front of the small group stood magnificent gray staircase that climbed into the mouth of the city. The two rusted iron pipes that laid beside the stairs, acting as rails. They were attached to the largest walls that Joshua had ever seen. He figured they must be bigger than Hammerlocke since those stairs were short in comparison to the ones in front of him.

Joshua felt small in comparison to the massive brick wall. _Maybe they built it to guard against Dynamax Pokémon? _Joshua thought as he craned his neck to see if he could see over the wall. Giving up when he saw that wall was much too big to look over, he instead gazed into the giant opening that the stairs led to. What he saw made him giddy with excitement. It was the Gym Stadium! All at once, his thoughts of beating Eugene after his adventure came flooding back to him.

_Sod anything about being a delegate or such. I'm not going to touch that thought until I beat the Gym Leaders and become Champion myself! Then I'll make that special event I want, and then I'll think about being a delegate. _Joshua thought as he called out Purswipe. Yawning, the little Pokémon flicked its tail and ear while looking side to side.

"We're going to climb up those stairs together! Let's take the first step of our lives together, Purswipe!" Joshua exclaimed. Widening her eyes, she gave a sharp nod, and went to stand next to Joshua. Wagging its tail as it crouched, it readied itself to run beside its trainer. Whatever happened, they would face it together.

Bolting up the stairs, Purswipe matched his stride as they took the next step of their journey together.

* * *

**A/N: Whew! That took forever! Slightly over 20,000 word, and hooray, setting up more mystery boxes. Don't worry, it won't take too long for the most important ones that help the story flow to be opened. Some might stay locked until about maybe midway through the Gym Challenge. But, for the most part, hopefully I can get past this "explaining" hurdle and into the showing and outside information part of the story.**

* * *

**Joshua's updated Pokémon:**

**Nickit – Knows moves up to level 15**

**Chewtle – Knows moves up to level 15**

**Rookidee – Knows moves up to level 15**

**Noiritta's updated Pokémon:**

**Dreepy – Knows moves up to 13**

**Melissa's updated Pokémon:**

**Yamper – Knows moves up to 14**

* * *

**Joshua's new Pokémon:**

**Tyrogue [Name: N/A] [Gender: Male] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Poké Ball] [Sire: Hitmonchan] [Dam: Ditto] – Knows moves up to level 13 + Vacuum Wave, Bullet Punch, Feint, Counter, and Mach Punch / Serious nature/ Steadfast ability**

**Goomy [Name: N/A] [Gender: Male] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Poké Ball] [Sire: Goodra] [Dam: Goodra] – Knows moves up to level 15 / Gentle nature/ Hydration ability [Note: Not currently with Joshua]**

**Trapinch [Name: N/A] [Gender: Male] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Poké Ball] [Sire: Vikavolt] [Dam: Flygon] – Knows moves up to level 16 + Bug Bite/ Careful nature/ Arena Trap ability**

**Ralts [Name: N/A] [Gender: Male] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Poké Ball] [Sire: Sableye] [Dam: Gardevoir] – Knows moves up to level 12 + Disable, Mean Look, Shadow Sneak, Confuse Ray, and Knock Off/ Adamant nature/ Synchronize ability**

**Noiritta's new Pokémon:**

**Goomy [Name: Perdita] [Gender: Female] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Luxury Ball] [Sire: Goodra] [Dam: Goodra] – Knows moves up to level 15 / Calm nature/ Sap Sipper ability**

**Trapinch [Name: Odile] [Gender: Female] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Moon Ball] [Sire: Golisopod] [Dam: Flygon] – Knows moves up to level 15 + First Impression / Jolly nature/ Hyper Cutter ability**

**Melissa's new Pokémon:**

**Pancham the Feisty[Name: N/A] [Gender: Female] [Description: Has a red cape with a golden 1 on it and a patch of pink fur on both its cheeks, sort of like blush, but defiantly like the electric pouches of some Electric-types] [Poké Ball: Poké Ball] [Sire: Moropeko] [Dam: Pangoro] [Marking: Intense] – Knows moves up to level 13 + Storm Throw and Power Trip / Brave nature/ Iron Fist ability**

**Goomy [Name: N/A] [Gender: Male] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Poké Ball] [Sire: Goodra] [Dam: Goodra] – Knows moves up to level 15 / Impish nature/ Hydration ability**

**Trapinch [Name: N/A] [Gender: Female] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Poké Ball] [Sire: Flygong] [Dam: Flygon] – Knows moves up to level 15/ Lonely nature/ Hyper Cutter ability**

* * *

**Additional Tidbit #1: Obake is a Japanese term that means "thing that changes", which refers to the fact that they are shape shifting yokai. In this story, Obake are monsters who have both human forms, Pokémon forms, and at least one in-between form. They're based off mythology from all parts of the world in this story, but mainly Japanese and European myths. Froslass is one of the few Pokémon who make a direct reference to the yokai they're based off of in the Pokédex entries.**

**Additional Tidbit #2: Oneirology is the study of dreams, and in the real world, it has no official degree of study. In order to get into the study, you have to study things dealing with the brain such as psychology and neuroscience. In this story, oneirology is still in its infancy, and it's just beginning to become a major, which means no professor has a degree in it officially. They do have degrees in studies relating to it, have study up on the newest papers that Fennel writes, and go to annual conferences to see what's new. **

**Additional Tidbit #3: I changed Max Raid Battles a little bit. In the games, they're encounters that already predetermined before you enter the den, and everyone gets the chance of catching a clone of the boss. I changed it so that each Pokémon caught is unique to the trainer. That's mainly because of how Max Raids work in this story. A group of the same kind of Pokémon get together in a den, and they project a Dynamaxed Pokémon. To have the group be a clone of the Pokémon didn't exactly fit this story, so they now vary a little. Also, Pokémon can have Egg Moves in both red and purple beams, when they could only be generated only in purple beams in game from what I could gather. While there's a set time that the beams appear, what appears in the den depends on the trainer who makes the first contact. If Joshua looked on his Rotophone when Goomy appeared, it would have been a different Pokémon. Basically, a group of Pokémon call to the trainer who they feel best suits them.**


	8. Chapter 7: Battle Practice

**A/N: Here's the next chapter, and hey, I finally got to the first submitted character! Thank you for submitting your character, and I'll make sure Kiara becomes a reoccurring character! ^^ I don't think the next submitted character will make their official debut [they sort of appeared here, but not by name or in appearance] until about chapter 16 or so. I'm currently up to chapter 13, and that's the first fully separate POV, focusing on Noiritta and her ability to see Fylgja. Chapter 16 should be focusing on Affray's POV. **

**A reminder, SYOC are still opened! Anyone to submit their character before chapter 9 will be featured in the opening ceremonies.**

* * *

**Joshua's Pokémon:**

**Nickit [Name: Purswipe] [Gender: Female] [Description: She has a lighter red fur, closer to that of a Growlithe or Arcanine, than most of her species, as well as slightly fluffier fur] [Poké Ball: Premier Ball] – Knows moves up to level 15 + Howl and Swift / Mild nature/ Unburden ability**

**Rookidee [Name: Areadbhar] [Gender: Female] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Dream Ball] – Knows moves up to level 15 / Impish nature/ Keen Eye ability**

**Chewtle [Name: Gungnir] [Gender: Female] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Poké Ball] – Knows moves up to level 15 + Skull Bash/ Adamant nature/ Strong Jaw ability**

**Tyrogue [Name: N/A] [Gender: Male] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Poké Ball] – Knows moves up to level 13 + Vacuum Wave, Bullet Punch, Feint, Counter, and Mach Punch/ Serious nature/ Steadfast ability**

**Trapinch [Name: N/A] [Gender: Male] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Poké Ball] – Knows moves up to level 16 + Bug Bite/ Careful nature/ Arena Trap ability**

**Ralts [Name: N/A] [Gender: Male] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Poké Ball]– Knows moves up to level 13 + Disable, Mean Look, Shadow Sneak, Confuse Ray, and Knock Off/ Adamant nature/ Synchronize ability**

**Noiritta's Pokémon:**

**Dreepy [Name: Flitter] [Gender: Male] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Quick Ball]– Knows moves up to level 13 + Round, Dragon Tail, and Sucker Punch/ Modest nature/ Clear Body ability**

**Goomy [Name: Perdita] [Gender: Female] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Luxury Ball]– Knows moves up to level 15 / Calm nature/ Sap Sipper ability**

**Trapinch [Name: Odile] [Gender: Female] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Moon Ball]– Knows moves up to level 15 + First Impression / Jolly nature/ Hyper Cutter ability**

* * *

Chapter 7: Battle Practice

Joshua and Purswipe waited on a bench in the Pokémon Center. Joshua was sitting down, while Purswipe was prancing around Joshua's feet. It was the 1st of July, and the opening ceremony was only two more days away. So, Noiritta and him had decided to reserve a room in the Pokémon Center for three days, and to travel with Affray and Daphne when they came for the opening.

Joshua closed his eyes for a moment while Purswipe tumbled around the bottom of the bench. He was planning for the day as he waited for Noiritta to come back from reserving a room. Melissa had left them to their own devices for the day while she went out to look for her dream-investigating friend. As he thought about what training regiment he could do, a soft growl snapped him out of his daydreams. Turning his head, he saw a young girl in a black hoodie and dark navy-blue pants try to placate her Riolu who had his sharp red eyes trained on Joshua. An Eevee laid on her lap as she tilted her head in confusion towards her companion.

"Vee?" she questioned.

"Aria, what's wrong?" the girl asked in a quiet voice, as her Riolu clenched its fist. In a blink of an eye, the Riolu charged forward, its blue fur a blur of lighting as it came barreling towards Joshua. Not skipping a beat, Purswipe leapt in front of the Riolu and Joshua. Unsheathing her claws, and lowering herself to the ground, Purswipe let out a warning cry.

"Kit!" she yowled. The yowl was loud enough that Riolu to skid to an undignified halt and took a fighting stance in front of the vixen. It let out a low rumble as it kept its narrowed pupils trained on Joshua. In an attempt to be prepare, Joshua stood up and the Riolu bared its teeth in a threat display.

"Aria! Stop! That kid didn't do anything to you..." the girl said, her voice dying out as she glanced between Joshua and her Pokémon. The Eevee hoped from the girl's lap as she raced over to her friend. The girl herself stood up and walked over to Joshua and the Riolu. She had pale blonde hair, freckles, and lovely emerald green eyes. She was also rather slim, and while noticeably taller than Joshua, she was also slim.

As she approached him, Joshua gave a cautious smile. He felt that if he did anything threatening to her, her Riolu might just rip him apart.

"A-ah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset your Riolu… it's just that..." Joshua trailed off. Honestly, he had no idea _what_ set the Riolu off. All he knew was that he was sitting down one moment, and then the next, the Riolu was ready to tear his throat out.

"I-it's not your fault… she's just being overprotective..." the girl explained as she picked up her Riolu, who was still shooting Joshua a fierce glare. The girl carefully cuddled her Riolu, and looked down at it, avoiding direct eye contact with Joshua.

"Maybe she wants to battle? I have a Tyrogue that gets restless when he doesn't battle, so I know how Fighting-type Pokemon get. Maybe we can have a double battle!" Joshua suggested, before remembering his manners. "Oh, the name is Joshua, by the way!"

"A battle? Yeah, I guess that would be fine… Oh, and my name is Kiara." the girl said.

"Nii!" Purswipe cried as she rapidly flicked her tail about. She was ready for a battle. Joshua could feel her eagerness as she stared at the Riolu with a bright flame in her eyes. After all, her first trainer battle ended in defeat. She wanted to prove that she had grown since then. Joshua returned her feelings with a battle-ready smile; he wanted to prove he had grown to Purswipe as well.

"Riii..." Aria growled; her fur still fluffed with annoyance. But, this time, Joshua caught her gaze and followed it. To his surprise, she wasn't even looking at him, but his shadow!

Blinking, Joshua turned to look down at the inky blob attached to the ground and anchored to his feet. The dark imprint of Joshua followed him perfectly as he moved. Nothing about his shadow particularly stuck out to him as odd.

Shrugging it off as weird Pokémon behavior, Joshua lead the way to the Pokémon Center courtyard where the battle arenas were. The automatic doors opened to present a large dirt field, with lush vegetation surrounding the area on all three sides.

There were three large white squares with Poké Balls in the middle of the squares. Each one was its own separate battle arena, and two were already occupied. On one field, a Linoone and Mawile exchanged blows. The Linoone, as usual for its species, was behaving erratically while the Mawile battled very defensively. Every move the Linoone made, the Mawile would block it with its giant maw.

On the other field, an oddly colored Skorupi was battling with an Oddish. The bright red Skorupi struck at the Oddish with a quick strike, but the Pokémon managed to tumble out the way and retaliate with a barrage of sharp leaves.

Walking over to the far side of the empty field, Purswipe sashayed after Joshua, her chest all puffed up. Kiara took the other side with her Riolu still pouting in her hands, her Eevee bounding after her with her tail high and letting out a playful cry as she followed after her trainer.

"Eevee! Vui!" she giggled as she bounced besides her trainer.

Placing her Riolu on the ground, Kiara crouched down to her Pokémon and spoke to them in a hushed voiced. Aria turned her body to the side as Kiara talked to her. But even though her eyes were narrowed, and she was making a rather pouty face, she still kept her eyes trained on Kiara and listening to her.

Deciding this would be a good experience for Ralts, Tyrogue, and Trapinch, Joshua released them from their Poké Ball. "Alright, I'm going to have a battle now, and I want you three to watch. Tyrogue, take notes on how well the Riolu fights. Ratls, just enjoy the fresh air. Trapinch, I want you to take note on fighting styles. Think about the best way to counteract them"

Smiling, Joshua turned his gaze towards Purswipe who was already on the field. Joshua sized up the competition as the Riolu sauntered onto the field with the Eevee parading behind her.

_Alright, since Purswipe brings the speed and power, defense would make the pair balance. That would be Gungnir. But, Areadbhar boasts a quick reaction speed and she can fly. Not to mention, she has a super effective move against Riolu. So, this problem here is if I want a team that will work well in together or one that can work as individual parts… Since I'm new to this, I'll go with the cohesive group. _Joshua decided as he picked his Poké Ball. Tossing it into the air, the hurled out a white light that soon materialized into a Chewtle.

"Chew!" Gungnir cried.

Joshua released Areadbhar next to Ralts. She sunk her claws into the hard floor as she glared forward, catching every moment like her life depended on it.

Taking out his phone, Joshua checked each Pokémon's base speed relative to each other. According to the Pokédex app, Riolu was the fastest Pokémon on the field.

"Alright, Kiara, you go first! Riolu is the fastest Pokémon!" Joshua announced.

"R-right… Let's go, Aria. Start off with Bullet Punch! Sonata, Quick Attack!" Kiara commanded.

With a brisk nod, Aria shot forward, her fist glowing bright silver. Sonata quickly followed after her, charging forward at a breakneck pace with a white aura covering her. She was so fast that Joshua could barely keep track of her.

"Purswipe, counter with your own Quick Attack! Gungnir, Skull Bash!" Joshua ordered. Purswipe growled a little as she ran forward, the same white aura that covered Sonata now covering her. Purswipe was a little slower than Sonata, so she added more complicated movements to her Quick Attack to make up for it. She weaved left and right to make her running pattern erratic as she ran right past Sonata.

Sonata stopped in surprise and skidded to a halt with all four paws digging in to stop her progression. As she turned around to face Purswipe, she had already made a u-turn and she barreled into the Eevee with a tremendous amount of force. Sonata was knocked off her feet and tossed sideways.

"Eevee!" Sonata cried, rolling onto her side.

As Sonata struggled to her paws, Aria thrust her silver glowing paw towards Gungnir. The Chewtle lowered her head and blocked the incoming attack. With a look of surprise, Aria jumped back and readied a defensive stance.

"Sonata, use Iron Tail and follow it up with a Swift!" Kiara ordered. "Aria, attack from a distance and make sure it doesn't close the gap! Do that with Vacuum Wave!"

Both Pokémon nodded, and Sonata's tail began to glow a bright silver as it became coated in a metallic substance. The afternoon sun bounced of the metal, creating an additional glare. Humming, Eevee bounded forward, holding up her tail. Her movement showed that she had already mastered the additional weight as she pranced across the field. She twirled and did somersaults as she headed toward Purswipe.

Purswipe watched wearily, clearly a bit unnerved by how easily Eevee was carrying her now heavy tail. Joshua began to panic as Purswipe lost her nerve and turned tail, but he quickly regained control of himself. If he showed his Pokémon that he was unsure, then they would believe the battle was impossible. He needed to show confidence, so that his Pokémon could have confidence as well.

As Eevee bounded towards Purswipe, she spun around so that her tail would gracefully knock into Purswipe. Joshua narrowed his eyes. "Hop and wrestle!"

Purswipe jumped right as he said that, surprising Eevee. But, the surprise didn't last for long as Purswipe landed on Sonata and wrapped her paws around her neck. She rolled over on her side and dragged the little Eevee down to the ground. Biting onto Sonata's ears, Purswipe brought the kicked at Sonata's haunches with her tiny hind paws.

Eevee yelped in pain and tried to wrench herself away from the grip that Purswipe had. Sonata rolled around on the ground, but Purswipe still kept a fierce hold on her. Crying in frustration, Sonata managed to get onto her paws, and she shook herself viciously. With a few desperate shakes, Purswipe was finally shaken free from her iron-clad grip. Sonata began to pant as she tried to catch her breath after the struggle. Taking this moment, Purswipe darted forward.

"Snarl!" Joshua commanded.

Stopping directly in front of Sonata, Purswipe let out a fierce, blood curdling snarl that sent dark shock waves around the vixen. Sonata screeched as the shock waves hit her and sent her backwards.

Aria got distracted by her teammates screams, giving Gungnir enough time to charge forward and hit Aria square in the chest. With a grunt of pain, Aria grabbed her chest and jumped backwards, glaring at the Chewtle. Raising its free arm, it let out a quick blue energy wave, making Chewtle jump to the side to avoid it.

"Ri, riolu, ri," Aria said, turning to her partner.

"Vee! Eevee!" Sonata exclaimed, rising to her feet and heading over to Aria.

"A-are you sure? We really haven't worked on that move..." Kiara seemed unsure as she looked at her Pokemon.

Both her Pokémon nodded; their teeth bared in a determined grin.

"Okay… Aria, use Vacuum Wave! Tornado mode! Sonata, Swift! Combined!" Kiara ordered.

Not wasting anytime, Sonata leapt into the air and release a barrage of stars from her mouth. As she twitched her ears, the stars began to form into one massive star, and she jumped onto it. Aria put both of her tiny blue paws in front of her and focused as a giant cyclone of wind formed around her. Clenching her paws, the cyclone began to retract into a smaller circumference around her. Giving a little breath, Riolu closed her eyes and her false ears rose.

"Ri!" Aria cried, suddenly opening her eyes.

Punching forward, the Riolu guided the raging sky blue tornado towards the giant star and when it collided with the star, it was absorbed. The golden star began to glow a vivid blue, before a wild wave of blue wind covered it.

"Eevee!" Sonata cried, as the star came charging at both Nickit and Chewtle.

"Purswipe, Quick Attack! Gungnir, Water Gun!" Joshua ordered.

Purswipe wiggled her tail as she shot herself into the sky, a white aura wrapping around her and making her streak upwards like a comet. Gungnir added to the power as she let out a powerful Water Gun that wrapped Purswipe in a protective blanket of water.

"Aria, use Vacuum Wave to disrupt!" Kiara said.

Aria created a small blue ball of energy and tossed it at Purswipe. Unfortunately for Aria, Gungnir just redirected her Water Gun to intercept it and cause it to hurdle towards the ground. Then, Gungnir just continue to redirect her Water Gun until it landed a direct hit on Aria, causing her to go flying into the Pokémon Center's side.

"Aria!" Kiara cried as she turned to focus on her Riolu. Her small distraction caused her to miss Purswipe launching herself through the star, busting a hole through the center of it.

"Vee!" Sonata yelled as she tumbled off the star and tumbled down towards Earth.

"Eevee!" Sonata wailed as she fell. Righting herself in the air, Purswipe refocused her Quick Attack, and launched herself at Sonata, hitting her and forcing her to Earth faster. The two crashed into the ground and sent up a giant plume of earth that covered the whole battlefield.

When the dust finally settled, Purswipe was standing on shaky legs while Eevee looked rather dazed, and stiff. She laid on her back and didn't move. Kiara back at Aria who also laid on the floor but face down instead of up. With a sigh, she returned her Riolu and picked her Eevee.

"Well, it looks like I lost. Good battle." Kiara said, still not looking Joshua in the eye.

"Vee..." Sonata moaned as she slowly awoke. As she did, she shook her fur and looked up at Joshua.

"Yeah, that was a spectacular move! I don't think I've ever seen a move quite like that! I've always wanted to use Swift like that, but now seeing what the move can do, I'm super excited to use it in more battles! Of course, I have to practice with it first..." Joshua noted.

"O-oh, your Pokémon were just as fantastic. I still need to train Eevee and Riolu a little bit more. I just got Riolu, and I haven't had Eevee for much longer. My Eevee was a gift from my mom and she hatched in Sinnoh. But, Riolu was more of a gift from my home region. You see, when I went to the airport, because I was going to Galar to compete in the tournament, the airline people gave me Sinnoh's national Pokémon as a gift. That would be Riolu, by the way. They wanted me to represent Sinnoh, and show off one of their famous Pokémon," Kira said, stifling a sigh.

"Wow, that's so cool! Galar has three national animals. The southernmost part's national Pokémon is Galarian Rapidash, the mountainous part's national Pokémon is Charizard, and the rest of Galar has the extinct Galarian Pyroar as their national Pokémon. The Galarian Pyroar used to be a Dark and Bug-type, and was considered Rapidash's rival," Joshua bubbled.

"Right… A-anyways, let's get our Pokémon healed up," Kiara said, finally managing to look Joshua in the eye. When she did, Joshua just gave a non-threatening smile. He didn't want to make her feel more uncomfortable than she already was.

After Joshua returned his Pokémon, they walked into the Pokémon Center. Noiritta was sitting at one of the tables in the cafeteria sections of the center. She was sipping from a red and white teacup that had the Pokémon Center logo on it. Nearby, a female Indeedee was cleaning up the bright orange floors of the café area. Waist high walls separated from the main section of the center, and a few Pokémon found themselves perched there. Flitter was busy making himself look scary as he hissed at a Noibat who found itself at the bottom of the wall. The Noibat gave a mischievous grin before it walked off.

"Hey, Noiritta, I'm back! I'll come over in a few minutes!" Joshua called as he waved to her. Flinching a little, Noiritta just waved back to him without even looking.

Before she got to the counter, Kiara made sure to return her Eevee.

Kiara and Joshua headed over to the main desk where Nurse Joy was handling a light blue egg with bright white polka dots. It was on a golden pestle that had diamond-like gems embedded into it. The egg itself sat on a bright red cushion.

Nurse Joy wore a stethoscope and placed it to the egg's fragile surface. Noticing the two trainers, Nurse Joy pulled the stethoscope down and gave the two a pleasant smile.

"Welcome! What brings you two here?" she asked.

"Oh, our Pokémon just battled, and we would like to have them healed please!" Joshua explained as he placed his Premier Ball and Poké Ball in front of her. Kiara did the same with her Poké Balls.

"Well, it should only take a few moments if they aren't hurt too severely. While I'm healing them, can you two watch the egg, please?" Nurse Joy asked as she took the Poké Balls up and put them in a nearby holding tray.

"Yeah, sure! But, what's the egg for?" Joshua asked as he began to pet the egg's surface. The egg felt dry and course, almost like fine grained sandpaper, but not as rough. It also felt as if the shell was thin instead of thick. But, knowing Pokémon, they probably were more study than they seemed.

Joshua had never seen a Pokémon egg up close before. Raihan usually hatched them in a special area of the gym and would raise them away from humans or other Pokémon, except for their parents. It was a safety precaution in case the baby Pokémon was afraid of strangers or lost control of its attacks. Only experts were allowed to assist in training the Pokémon in the gym.

"Oh, it's going to be a prize for a battle tournament that happening after the opening ceremony. It's a rare Pokémon that was bred by a famous Pokémon Trainer. The Pokémon League is hoping to find it a good home," Nurse Joy explained.

Before Nurse Joy could leave to heal the Pokémon, a boy that was about the same age as Joshua rushed up to the counter. He squeezed himself between Kiara and Joshua as he presented his Poké Ball.

"Nurse Joy! Can you please heal my Skorupi again?" he asked.

"Again? I just healed it an hour ago. You can't just keep recklessly getting into battles," Nurse Joy scolded as she took the boy's Poké Ball.

"I know, I know, but Skorupi was itching for another battle. And I don't like disappointing my Pokémon," the boy gabbed before turning his sights on the egg. "So, you said the egg was going to be a prize in a tournament. What tournament? I'm sure I could easily win it."

"I'll sign you up for it later then. It's a battle tournament that's taking place the day after the opening ceremony," Nurse Joy said as she turned to walk down the corridor.

Joshua watched her leave before turning to greet the new boy. He had short, dark brown hair with deep, cinnamon brown eyes. He wore a short sleeved green jacket that had a white bottom rim and sleeves, a black shirt, black jeans, and black shoes without laces. Around his neck was a Poké Ball that had a stylized Lugia painted on it.

"So, I assume you two are here for the summer Gym Challenge? I wouldn't get my hopes up on getting too far, if I were you. It might be easier than the winter Gym Challenge, but it's still difficult. I heard the first Gym Leader doesn't pull any punches. Although the winter Gym Challenge prohibits the first three Gym Leaders from using Gigantamax Pokémon, no such restriction exists for the summer Gym Challenge. So, not only does he use fully evolved Pokémon, he also has a Gigantamax Pokémon. Of course, I'm not worried. I already have a Rufflet, so this will be a piece of cake," the boy said this in rapid succession.

_I don't remember asking for that information, but thanks? _Joshua thought sarcastically but knew better than to say it aloud.

"Well, I'm sure we'll all do well. The name's Joshua Cornwall, by the way."

"Oh, Joshua! Raihan's cousin! I saw him post pictures of you on Voltbug. My name is Myron Newell. Perhaps you've heard of my family. They run the business that make the Pokémon Center healing machines. Mr. Laurel, a business partner of my family, is writing my letter of recommendation, so people will take me seriously. He even gave me my shiny Skorupi as a gift," the boy prattled.

_Again, I didn't ask, but thanks for sharing, I guess. _Joshua gave a silent sigh as he listened to the boy.

"I'm sure that must be very exciting," Joshua said, giving a stock phrase.

"Oh, it is! I'm able to-" the sound of footsteps echoing throughout the center mercifully cut the exchange short.

"Alright, everyone's Pokémon is fully healed." Nurse Joy said as she set down a tray with everyone Poké Balls. Giving each trainer back their respective Pokémon, she bowed and wished the trainers a nice day.

Once he got his Poké Ball, Joshua ducked out the conversation and Kiara followed him.

"He was a rather chatty fellow," Kiara observed.

"_Too_ chatty. Anyways, now that we're away from him, do you think you can show me those cool moves! Noiritta can even join us!" Joshua exclaimed.

"Well, it can't hurt… But, I don't know how good of a teacher I am." Kiara said, seeming a little unsure and was now back to avoiding looking at Joshua directly.

"Great! I'm sure you'll be a great teacher! Let's go!" Joshua cheered as he rushed back outside, not wanting her to have a chance to decline.

As he went back into the courtyard, he couldn't help but feel as if something was watching him. Unconsciously, he bared his teeth and let out a short growl. As he shifted gaze over to the undergrowth, he spotted the bush rustle before everything became still. Soon, the feeling went away, and Joshua let out a sigh of relief.

Looking around, he saw the person who owned the Oddish was sitting down and grooming it. The trainer took special care of its leaves. Meanwhile, the trainer who was battling with the Linoone had left, and the Mawile trainer was practicing battle moves.

Joshua went towards one of the empty fields as Kiara, Noiritta, and Flitter exited the Pokémon Center.

"Alright, come on out Purswipe! Learning time!" Joshua yelled as he called out his Nickit.

"Nickit!" she cried as she shook off the red sparks and orange light.

"Come on out Sonata! Show us your skill!" Kiara called, sending out her Eevee.

Eevee wagged her tail playfully when she saw Purswipe.

"Eevee, show off your Swift!" Kiara ordered.

Sonata took a deep breath and raised her head. Almost instantaneously, a light purple ring appeared in front of the Eevee. Joshua noted that his was a slower variation of the move, but Sonata was probably able to have more control over what happened to the move.

"Okay, Purswipe, follow her lead!" Joshua ordered.

Taking a deep breath, Nickit perked her ears up and stood on her hind paws. Using her tail as a balancing tool, Purswipe twitched her whiskers and closed her eyes. Soon, a purple ring appeared in front of her.

"She's aiming her energy a little too high. She must be using her Snarl as a guide for this variation of Swift. Try putting your hand on her chest gently rubbing it downwards," Kiara suggested, only glancing at Purswipe.

"Right." Joshua said as he crouched in front of his Pokémon. Gently placing his open palm on her tiny chest, he felt her even breathing as her chest rose and fell. Giving a cautious stroke downward, he felt a tiny movement as her breathing shifted.

Joshua suppressed a yelp of surprise as stars suddenly shot out of the ring that was beside him. Turning around, he saw the stars shoot into the sky before exploding in a bright and showy display. The purple rings than dissipated.

"Niii?" Purswipe questioned, as she dropped onto all fours.

Sonata gave a little giggle, the ring of purple still around her. Joshua was even surprised she could hold it for so long. Giving a little chime of joy, Sonata began to hop around as small stars began to form from the center of the purple ring. As she leapt about in a carefree manor, the stars orbit her whole body, encasing her in a sort of tube of stars.

Purswipe narrowed her eyes as she concentrated and created a new purple ring. A circle of stars began to form around the outer rim, and with a sharp cry, they shot towards Sonata. Sonata spun in a simple circle, allowing her stars to hit Purswipe's stars. She kept doing this until all of Purswipe's stars were gone. With a bow, Sonata allowed for her remaining stars to dissipate.

"Purswipe seems to have the basics for Swift down. All she needs to do is practice it, and she should be able to perfect it," Kiara said as Sonata padded over to her side.

"Thanks! You hear that Purswipe, all we need to do is practice, and you'll be doing some fancy moves!" Joshua exclaimed.

"Kiitt!" Purswipe chimed.

"Joshua, the cooking class I signed us up for is starting soon, so you can let her work on her form by herself in the training room while we cook. I was going to leave Odile and Perdita in there to train too, but I'm placing Dreepy with the Pokémon sitter center since he's been looking a little sick. Maybe you can do the same?" Noiritta suggested.

Joshua widened his eyes as he remembered he was supposed to have Ralts get a check-up. Groaning as he rubbed the side of his head with his hand, he gave a passive nod.

"Right, I'll do that right away. Besides, I need to Nurse Joy about Ralts. I'll meet you in the classroom, Noiritta! Thanks for the lesson, Kiara!" Joshua shouted as he rushed into the Pokémon Center, Purswipe right at his heel.

When Joshua finally reached the front desk, he couldn't help but notice the Noibat from earlier was lurking around the front desk, looking up at the egg. Before Joshua could get a word out, Purswipe let out a loud hiss and darted in front of the Noibat. When she showed her teeth, the Noibat squeaked and took off rather quickly.

"Nickit," she said haughtily, as she turned her back on the Pokémon.

Shrugging at his Pokémon's behavior, he looked around to see where Nurse Joy was. To his dismay, she seemed to have left the desk unattended. But, it didn't take long before she came back, a Grookey in her hands.

"Oh, you're back! Did your Pokémon get hurt again?" Nurse Joy asked as she set down the Grookey. The Grookey hopped off the desk and ran into the waiting room area to play with another Pokémon.

"No, I wanted to discuss my Ralts. I found it abandoned in the Wild Area and I wanted to have it checked out. And since I'm taking the cooking class, I wanted to check some of my Pokémon into the training room and the sitter center," Joshua explained.

"Okay. Follow me into the back room, and I'll examine your Ralts there," Nurse Joy said as she began to walk down the corridor. Joshua followed after her with Purswipe padding after him.

As he walked down the prestine white halls of the Pokémon Center, he peaked into some rooms. Some held Pokémon who were sleeping in them, while others had people dressed in white coat typing away furiously at a computer.

Nurse Joy turned into one of the rooms, and Joshua and Purswipe followed after her. The room was simple with two plain chairs leaning up against a wall, a compact machine in the middle of the room, and desk that housed a computer and a rolling chair in the far corner of the room. To the side was a sink, and equipment such as tissues and cotton swabs.

The machine in the middle of the room looked rather cylindrical in nature, with a metallic bottom and glass dome. There was a Macro Cosmos Tech logo on its side, and the machine looked very sleek and new aged. In the middle of the machine, between the glass and metal part, was a small hole that looked big enough for a shrunken Poké Ball.

"Put your Poké Ball into the hole in the machine please. It helps to measure a Pokémon's vital signs and assess their health," Nurse Joy explained as she went over to computer. She turned the screen, so it was visible to Joshua. It had quite a few stats on it, but it also had a large, empty space. Joshua guessed that was where the Pokémon picture would pop up.

Unlatching the Poké Ball from his belt, he put the sphere in the machine, and a metal plate came down to seal it in. Hearing a soft whirl of machinery, Joshua watched as the bottom plates inside of the machine opened up and he could see the Poké Ball was now orientated to be facing towards where the glass was. In a flash of white, Ralts appeared inside the machine, and the information for Ralts came up on the screen.

"Hmm, it seems that Ralts was released by the trainer's discretion and it does appear to be malnourished. Did you battle it?" Nurse Joy asked, her face creasing with worry as she examined Ralts who was looking up at her with a petrified expression. He quickly turned to Joshua, and he began to paw at the glass, trying to get out.

Joshua couldn't help but feel guilty as the Ralts tried desperately to escape the confines of the machine. Rubbing the glass to let Ralts know it was fine, he put his face close to the glass as he talked to Nurse Joy, a smile on his face.

"No, he asked for food and I fed him."

"Well, it seems that he's too weak to use any attacking moves for any prolonged period of time now… not until he's properly fed at least. I'll prescribe some medication for it that it should take daily for about a week. Are you going to be using the Ralts for battle?"

"Uh, no. I was going to give it to the Pokémon Center to take care of and properly release."

"In that case, I can give it a pet designation. By default, all Pokémon have a battler designation since they can use attacks and most people use them for battles. But, if a Pokémon's main job is to be a pet, there's a different designation that comes with its own set of rules. First off, they don't need to be in a Poké Ball, although it's recommended. Second, they aren't allowed to battle in official Pokémon League battles. They can battle wild Pokémon though. Third, they don't count towards the Pokémon team limit, and Ralts won't officially be a part of your six-team member limit. If you want, I can sign Ralts up for a pet designation. That way, you won't have to release it, and can easily take care of it on your journey."

"Yes, please! I would love to travel with Ralts as a partner!"

"A partner?" Nurse Joy looked at him with a perplexed, yet curious look.

"Yup! Since Ralts will be out of its Poké Ball most of the time, Ralts will be able to walk around with me and my friends. We'll have a different bond than the bond I share with Purswipe."

"That's an interesting way to put it. Well, you can give me your Pokémon and head off to your class. It'll be in room A-113."

Joshua placed his Poké Balls in the tray and told Nurse Joy that he wanted to put his Pokémon in the training room. After Nurse Joy told him he was all clear to go, Joshua headed down the corridor and out into the main room.

Exiting from behind the counter, Joshua went to down the main hallway. He passed by a few open classrooms until he found classroom A-113.

Entering the room, Joshua was greeted by an empty room. In the front of the room was a long table that was in front of a whiteboard. Across from the teacher's area were four rows of two long tables that had the circle chairs with no backs. Taking a seat, Joshua waited for the other students to come in.

It didn't take long before the students for the class began to file in. The students varied in age from the very young being six and the oldest being in their eighties. Noiritta took a seat beside him, and soon their teacher walked in. As usual with the Pokémon Centers, Teacher Josie was the one who would be teaching the classes. Like Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny, Teacher Josie came from a long line of teachers and they all worked to give everyone a proper education. The family didn't usually work in traditional schools, but they would usually teach lessons in the Pokémon Center.

Everyone in the family had short black hair with gray eyes and silver rimmed glasses. They wore pearl earrings, a watch, a light red ascot with floral patterns that's tied to the side of their neck, a button up short sleeves shirt with slightly ruffled arm holes, beige shorts, and brown dress shoes whenever they taught.

After everyone who arrived had found a place to sit, the class began.

"Welcome to the beginner class on Pokéfood! Today, we're going to be learning how to make generic Pokéfood. This means that the Pokéfood we make here will be suitable for all kinds of Pokémon and would just need to be supplemented with a dietary powder specific to a Pokémon's type." Teacher Joise said with a smile. "First things to know are that berries are the key ingredient in Pokéfood. Any berry will do, but it's recommended that you use berries that 'shares' your Pokémon's type. Does anyone know what that means?"

Noiritta raised her hand, and Teacher Josie gestured to her to let her know she was called on.

"Oh, every berry is packed full of nutrients for a specific type! We know this because Natural Gift uses those nutrients and turns them into a powerful move of that type. For example, since I'm a Dragon-type trainer, I would want to use something like the Haban Berry as a good base," Noiritta explained.

"Very good! But, we're just going to use a good mix of berries so that the Pokéfood is palatable to a lot of Pokémon and that it's nutritiously balanced for a wide array of Pokémon. In order to do that, we prepared the following cut-up berries: Kee, Iapapa, Asper, Pecha, Cheri, Wiki, Lum, Leppa, and Chople. These provide enough nutrients for any Pokémon, and when they're baked into dried treats, their mismatch tastes will blend into a rich blend for Pokémon. Although, humans might find the taste a little disagreeable. Okay, put the berries in the blender in front of you and puree the berries into a nice mixture," Teacher Josie instructed.

Following her instructions, Joshua dumped the cut-up berries into the blender and put the lid on. Pressing the puree button, he watched as the blades cut the mass of berry down to a pulpy blend within seconds. The whirling of the blades filled the room, and while Joshua's machine worked on breaking down the berries, he turned his attention to Noiritta.

"So, are going to the ruins tomorrow?" Joshua asked.

"Oh, yes! Melissa is taking us there tomorrow. We have to go get our free passes for the Corviknight Taxi first, so we can use it to come back. I can't wait to get a Jangamo-o," Noiritta said as she closed her eyes in content.

As the berry were chopped into a fine, smooth blend, Joshua stopped the blender and poured the light pink mixture into a large bowl.

"Alright, now add half a cup of flour to the mixture and mix it. Keep adding half a cup of flour until the consistency is that of a bread-like mixture," Teacher Josie lectured.

Joshua scooped up a cup of flour from a nearby bag with a measuring cup and dumped it into the bowl. Using a plastic spatula, Joshua began to mix the flour and berry puree, until the mixture became viscous. Joshua kept adding more flour and mixing until the dough became sticky and very thick. Putting the pinkish-light brown colored dough on a cookie sheet, Joshua used a rolling pin to help flatten the mixture.

The sticky dough wasn't giving easily as Joshua attempted to flatten it. It clung onto the rolling pin, making the already heavy object harder to move. The wooden handles from the pin felt dry and grainy against Joshua's hands, like untreated wood, and it wasn't a texture he particularly liked. He struggled with the pin, fighting against the tight grasp of the dough as the dough fought with him. As he continued to roll out the material, Joshua couldn't help but focus on the sound the pin a dough made; a sound that was similar to a sticker being peeled off a book in one, clean go. To him, it was a very satisfying sound.

After his fight with the glutinous beast, the dough was finally flattened to a point where he could use a cutter specifically for Pokéfood bits. They were made so that the dough cut out of the mixture would be like the classic cylinders of brand made Pokéfood. Cutting out the first batch, Joshua collected the extra remaining bits and collected it into a ball of dough that he kneaded down again. The gooey dough stuck to him as he needed it. His hand had large patches of the adhesive gunk on it, while the mixture clung to his palms and stretched from the pile as he pulled his hands free of the mess.

Making a face of disgust, Joshua remembered why he disliked baking. Everything was very sticky, and he would always get covered in flour. The sticky dough made it harder to clench and unclench his palms and he was pretty sure some of it even got on his face. Kneading the dough until it was back to a semi-flat size, Joshua cut out the remaining bits, and placed the kibble bits on the cookie tray in a half hazard way. They weren't neat like how he would see them on baking shows, but they were good enough not to stick together.

Putting the cookie sheet in the 250-degree oven, Joshua sighed as he took a seat and leaned up against the table. His hands felt gross, due to the fact they were covered with excess dough. But, he was still proud that he had begun to make his first batch of Pokéfood. Rubbing his hands together to generate heat to get the grimy leftovers off, he felt the dough patches begin to stick together and even fall off. Walking over to the sink, he washed himself off as best he could, and waited for his Pokéfood to finish.

In two hours, he took out his tray and let his batch cool for about five minutes. After it cool, he placed them in a sealable bag for safe keeping. As he did, Noiritta came up beside him to get the Pokéfood that she had just made. She actually looked significantly cleaner than Joshua. In fact, she didn't have a single drop of dough on her, although her clothes were covered in flour.

"This was so much fun! I think I can stand making some Pokéfood if it's going to be like this!" Noiritta exclaimed, before noticing Joshua was putting his food away. "Oh, Joshua, are you going to taste your food?"

Joshua just blinked at her for a moment. He had heard that Breeders tended to have a specialized palate for Pokéfood.

"Well, it can't hurt," Joshua sighed, taking a piece of his dried Pokéfood and popping it into his mouth. Crunching down on it, to Joshua's surprise to find that it was actually delicious. The flavors blended well, and while hints of the competing tastes entered his mouth, they were never overwhelming. They would fill his mouth, and then ebb away to be replace with a new one. And no taste was really too well defined, and they all were their best form. The dry would linger, like the aftertaste he would have after eating a lightly sour candy. The sweet was only hinted at, making Joshua want to beg for more, and the spicy was mild at best. It only warmed his mouth and tickled his tongue. The sour would accentuate the sweetness, but it was never overpowering. "Actually, it's fairly delicious!"

"Really?! Let's me try it!" Noiritta said as she placed one kibble of Joshua's kibble mouth. After a few chews, she stuck her tongue out and made a disgusted face. "Ugh, it tastes like it was bunt, then dumped in some of the sweetest thing I've ever tasted, mixed with the extreme bitterness of a lemon! Not to mention it tastes like fire, and it burns! Absolutely disgusting! Joshua, if you like this, you defiantly have a Breeder's tongue!"

"Heh, that's good to know! Let's get our Pokémon back so we can feed them," Joshua said as he sealed up his bag. Noiritta did the same to her own and followed him out the classroom.

They retrieved their Pokémon from the Pokémon Center's desk and headed to the rooms in the upstairs portion of the center. When they entered, they noticed there were two bunk beds, a window that looked down to the courtyard, and two nightstands by the door. The room felt homey to Joshua, and it smelled of peppermint, signifying that it was just cleaned.

Joshua placed his bag down and sat on one of the bunk beds. The yellows and purples of the sky created a beautiful backdrop as the dying sunlight bathed the area in a warm glow.

"The sun is going to be setting soon, so let's rest up and relax before dinner time. I asked Nurse Joy, and she said the Pokémon can roam around since they were all deemed non-threatening. Of course, Indeedee are always monitoring the halls, so they'll stop anything bad from happening," Noiritta said as she

She released her Dreepy, Trapinch, and Goomy from their Poké Ball. Joshua followed suit and let out his own Pokémon.

"Okay, you guys can go and play, but make sure you come back when the sun sets. And also, don't get into trouble!" Joshua warned. With a nod, all of his Pokémon, except for Ralts and Purswipe, left the room to go find something to do. Noiritta's Pokémon followed after them, excited by the prospect of some freedom.

For an hour, Joshua watched _Case Study_ on his phone to pass the time. The newest episode was about a family of Galarian Rapidash and how they live in the wild. It focused on a mother who was left by her heard to care for her eggs alone, while the herd moved onto greener pastures. The mother Rapidash protected her eggs from the elements, and attacks from the local Impidimp. When the clutch of two finally hatch, the new family of three made their trek across wide expanse of the forest to meet up with their herd. There was of course danger such as poachers, river crossings, and wild Pokémon defending their territory. In the end, they all made it back to their herd safe and sound.

Once the Pokémon came back, Joshua and Noiritta all took them downstairs for some dinner. Both Joshua and Noiritta gave the Pokémon the food they had made for them earlier. Joshua made sure to mix in some supplements for his Pokémon, as well as the medicine for Ralts, as did Noiritta before giving them the food.

When the Pokémon got the food, most of them began to scarf it down right away. After a cautious sniff and lick, Purswipe began to eat hers ravenously, and Ralts ate his a little more tentatively. While the Pokémon ate, Noiritta and Joshua got the food that was provided by the Pokémon Center and began to eat a peaceful dinner.

As they ate their meal, they heard the familiar opening of the automatic door. Looking up, Joshua spotted Freya walking through the door with her Sirfetch'd and an odd-looking Pokémon. Joshua immediately recoiled from the new Pokémon.

It such a mismatched creature, like Dracovish. It had powerful, thick green legs and a rigid tail that stuck straight out. The tail had three rows red, thick triangle plates. But, the front of the creature was a yellow bird-like Pokémon. It had a chest shape and neck similar to a Swanna, and pronated claws. There were lighting shaped protrusion on its arms. The creature had a feathery head, a mouth that looked similar to a Trapinch's jaw, closed eyes, and electric sac on its cheeks.

"Aw, what a cute Pokémon! Hey, Joshua, right that big Pokémon next to the Sirfetch'd looks cute?!" Noiritta exclaimed as she looked up from her food.

"Cute?! That thing is ugly as sin and monstrous! It doesn't even look like it should exist!" Joshua retorted.

"It looks similar to Freya's Arctozolt, and Eugene's Dracovish! Of course, it should-" Noiritta paused for a beat. "Wait. It has the same front body as Arctozolt, and the same bottom part as Dracovish. That can't be a coincidence. Maybe this Dracozolt of sorts is related to them."

"Dracozolt? How did you get that name?"

"Well, besides the fact it sounds good, the Pokémon names seem to be easily separated. Dracovish is part Dragon-type, and it looks like one, just like this Pokémon. Arctozolt is part Electric-type, and those electric sacs give that Pokémon's Electric-typing away. So, Dracozolt just sounds like it fits more than Arctovish or Zoltdraco."

"Well, let's go see what Freya is doing here. We haven't seen her in a while," Joshua said, getting up and leaving his meal. Noiritta skipped after him, acting like her usual joyful self.

"Freya, who's the cutie next to you?" Noiritta purred as they got closer to the preteen. Turning around, Freya seemed surprised for a moment before smiling.

"Hey, you two," Freya greeted, "and this cutie's name is Dracozolt, for now. I was going to ask Nurse Joy to set up a tournament to see if someone can take it and another Pokémon called Arctovish. Cara Liss gave Dracovish and Arctozolt to both Eugene and I, and she asked us to give someone the other two away. So, I want the Pokémon I'm charged with to go to a powerful trainer."

"Dracozolt is a Dragon-type, right?" Noiritta exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement. "So, if I can prove myself, can I get it?!"

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense. If you can get a badge, I'll give you the Pokémon. But, it won't be easy. Chitin was rather excited because if he does good in this Gym Challenge, he's going to be able to be a major Gym Leader," Freya said.

"Chitin? Is that the first Gym Leader?" Joshua questioned. Freya just gave a simple nod.

"Yup. He's a Bug-type Gym Leader. But, just because he's a minor Gym Leader, a bug Gym Leader, no less, doesn't mean he isn't super tough or powerful. I just had a practice battle with him because he recently arrived from Sinnoh and wanted to make sure he wasn't rusty, and man, he nearly decimated my whole team. And because he has a chance to rise up to be a major Gym Leader, he won't be going easy on you two. Pokémon should know moves up to around Level 19 or 20 for the Gym Leaders, but he got special permission and made it so both his Pokémon can know moves around level 21, the level where most Combee evolves! So, he's planning on using his Vespiquen," Freya sighed, rubbing her head in exasperation.

"Sounds like he's going to be tough… But, Dragon-type Pokémon are really powerful so I should be able to do this, no problem!" Noiritta chimed as she swung her arms a little.

The Dracozolt chimed and gave a sharp nod before striking a pose by putting the back part of its 'hands' on its would-be waist and rising its head to look like a superhero. Noiritta couldn't help but giggle as she looked at the Pokémon.

"Well… base form Dragon-type Pokémon are very weak. They usually tend to lose to most Pokémon and aren't very tough. Most starter Pokémon surpass them in power, and the starters evolve quicker too, which makes it an uneven battlefield."

"Well, that doesn't mean I don't have a chance! I'll train super hard to win the Gym battle and I'll beat him first try! Flitter and I are going to use our power to show that Vespiquen a thing or two!" Noiritta declared, her eyes beginning to burn with excitement as she gave a broad grin.

The soft whirling of the opening door sounded again, and turning around, Joshua saw a frustrated Melissa. She had a smile that oozed trying to keep anger and annoyance under wraps, and her Yamper was panting heavily as it struggled to even walk through the door. Yamper's whole body drooped with exhaustion. Joshua instinctively backed away, because he knew better than to disturb Melissa when she was upset. But, Noiritta did the opposite and waved Melissa over.

"Hey! Melissa! We were just talking about me winning a gym badge!" Noiritta shouted, waving her over.

Blinking, the annoyance on Melissa's face seemed to dissipate as she walked over to the group. By time she reached them, she had a genuine smile on her face.

"Fetch!" Sirfetch'd cried, bowing down before Melissa.

"Heh, still as polite as ever Holly. Anyways, Raijuu seems to be avoiding me. I saw him shopping, and when I went to talk to him, he turned around the corner and disappeared. I spent the rest of the day looking for him, and even Yamper couldn't track him down! I swear, that man will do anything to get out of a conversation!" Melissa bemoaned, clicking her teeth.

"Yamp!" Yamper cried, giving a soft whine as he flattened his ears.

"Well, we have to get him to talk to me at least. I want to know more about the feather," Joshua said as he reached into his shirt that was hiding the feather. Unfurling his fist to show them the feather he now held, the pleasant heat it retained from his body made his fingertips tingle. Freya seemed to look to the side for a moment, narrowed her eyes, and mouthed at Joshua to put it away. Following her order, he tucked the feather into his shirt.

Melissa on the other hand, seemed relatively unbothered.

"Once he sees that, I'm sure he'll talk to you. Raijuu loves all things weird! It's just… he hates being near people. I'm of the opinion he is one of the demonic beasts he's named after," Melissa said, her lips slightly curling into a teasing smile.

"What does a Raijuu do anyways?" Noiritta asked as she crossed her arms and furrowed her brow.

"It's a monster from the Kanto region that takes the form of a Manectric and can become a ball of lighting and has a cry like that of thunder. Raijuues usually are docile, but during a thunderstorm, they become agitated and fierce, and if they're in their human form, they'll transform into a Manectric and begin to claw the area around them! When it gets tired, it looks for a nice human belly button to crawl into and tends to attract lighting to the person by accident," Melissa explained. As she did, she gave an eerie, calm smile.

"T-that sounds really nice Melissa! A-anyways, we have to get to bed soon, bye!" Joshua said. He shivered a little as he rushed off. Sometimes, Melissa could be a little weird, or just plain scary. Noiritta toddled after him, following him a little Ducklett.

Once they finished their food, they went up to their room to waste some time before bed. Noiritta suggested that they play with the figurines she brought along, and Joshua agreed. For the rest of the night, they played out a scenario from a book they enjoyed about Pokémon who were from rival tribes and how they lived their lives in the wild. Joshua played as the peaceful Psychic tribe, while Noiritta took over the more aggressive Fire tribe. Joshua had chosen to make a Galarian Ponyta, who was young and had recently lost her parents, be leader of his tribe, while Noiritta chose a Turtonator to be her leader.

Turtonator fought Ponyta and chased her off from being the true queen. Running into the wild and having to fend for herself, Ponyta befriended three friends, who were all played by Noiritta, along the way. After proving her worthy by protecting her friends, acting as a mediator whenever anyone got into an argument, and offering guidance to her friend, she was granted the ability to evolve by Xerneas. Returning to take her place as the rightful queen, Turtonator was still able to beat her, but her friends beat him for her and chased him out of the forest for her. Due to her bravery, the newly evolved Rapidash was named Queen of the Forest and lived the rest of her life being good and kind.

After wrapping up their little story, the two went to sleep on the top bunk bed, with the Pokémon sharing the bottom bunk bed. Before Joshua went to sleep, Melissa sent him a text message telling him she couldn't schedule the meeting with the oneirologist until later on in the month. Joshua texted her back, saying he didn't mind, and put his phone away before falling into a deep sleep.

!*~*~*~*!

From Joshua's shadow, red eyes peered out of the still blackness. Soon a dark Pokémon materialized from it, a fully black biped Pokémon. Its eyes locked onto Joshua as it carefully watched his slow breaths.

_Strange, _she thought, _he doesn't seem to be too special. Maybe Zeraora is right, and Zacian just didn't care who she picked. _She turned around and stared at the veranda. _Well, I still have to watch him for about a week, so he might do something to change my mind with something mind blowing._

Marshadow stepped out of the shadows and towards where the courtyard was. She didn't often get to come outside of Zetsuboji, so the time in Galar was welcomed. The warm air warned of hotter weather to come, but Marshadow didn't care too much. After all, Galar was a still cooler climate than Zetusuboji, even in the summer. Opening up the glass doors to the window seal, she walked onto the wooden balcony and peered down through the black metal railing.

To her surprise, there was a shadow moving below. Peering closely, Marshadow saw it the Myron boy from before. By now it was one o'clock in the morning, so anyone being out of their bed was suspicious. Deciding to take a closer look, Marshadow disappeared into the ground and swiftly moved through the walls. Once she reached the ground, she attached herself to the boy's shadow and allow herself to follow him. In this angle, she couldn't see what was happening, but that didn't prevent her from hearing another set of footprints joining the boy.

"Ah, what a pleasant surprise. What brings you to this place so late at night?" Myron asked, his tone friendly, yet hiding a slight tinge of fear.

"You told me that someone has something of interest. A special feather of some sort," an older voice said, seeming to have no interest in idle chitchat.

_Reminds me of some of my colleges. Every time I try to have a polite conversation with Zygarde, she rebuffs me and asks me what I want. Don't worry kid, I feel your pain,_ Marshadow thought with pity.

"Yeah, that. I could have just told you over to the phone. So, there's this kid and he has the special feather. I don't know much about it, but it seems that his friends think its special and apparently, Raijuu might be interested in it." Myron said, his voice wavering with apprehension.

There was a small pause before the man spoke up.

"What's the name of the child with the feather?" he asked.

"Joshua Cornwall."

"A Cornwall, huh? Fiat cor tuum liberum volare, indeed," the man gave an amused chuckle. It sounded like genuine joy, but more how someone would laugh at something ironic. But, he stopped laughing, he asked in a smooth voice, "Myron, if you don't mind, I think we're going to need to set up a little game."

* * *

**A/N: Not too much happened in this chapter, and yet it's still about 9,000 words. I plan on the next chapter to be up around Sunday or Monday.**

**So, here are the upcoming arcs:**

**Chapter 8 – Last of the pre-opening chapter**

**Chapter 9-10 – The opening chapter, day and night**

**Chapter 11-17 – Wild Area part 2 [written up to here, Chapter 13 is currently being written]**

**Chapter 18-19 – Preparation for the first Gym Badge**

**Chapter 20 – Gym Leader meeting**

**Chapter 21-22 – First Gym Battle**

**Chapter 22-23 – Preparation for the second Gym Badge**

**Chapter 24 [tentative, could be more] – Second Gym Battle**

**Chapter 25-27 – Wild Area part 3 and detours from the Gym Challenge portions**

**Chapter 28-30 – Preparing for the Third Gym Badge**

**Chapter 31 – Third Gym Battle**

**After that, I think they might still be in July at that point, and they take a break from the gym battles for a little bit to meander around and do other story things. Depending on if I have to add a side story, these chapters might shift around a little. During the pause between the third gym and the fourth, other story beats happen, before the story goes to the fourth badge through the sixth badge, and then stopping for other story beats. And then a rocky seventh and eight gym badges before the climax of the story.**

* * *

**Additional Tidbit: The extinct Galarian Pyroar is based off the concept of a manticore and the idea that unicorns were the rivals of lions, which makes sense considering unicorns are based off of rhinos. Rhinos are one of the animals that lions don't eat too frequently, and if they do, they eat the calves who are alone. Lions are able to take down hippos, elephants, and giraffes if the lion group specialize in it, and if a male is hunting with them. Galarian Pyroar are also based off the extinct in the wild, Barbary lion. Barbary lions lived in the Tower of London [the place where the Ravens of the Tower of London resides, and the birds that Corviknight is supposedly based off of. I prefer to think Corviknight is based off of valravns because they're ravens that could turn into knights clad in black armor, but, that's not exactly the most child-friendly creature considering they specifically eat the hearts of children to turn into that knight form]. In the Tower of London, they were considered a living heraldry, and named after currently reigning monarchy. It was thought that when the lion died, the person they were named after would die a few days after it.**


End file.
